Transport Of Microplastics Research Articles

Pore-Scale Visualized Transport and Retention of Fibrous and Fragmental Microplastics in Porous Media under Various Surfactant Conditions.

For advancing current knowledge on the transport of microplastics (MPs) in the environment, this study used a real-time pore-scale visualization and quantitative system to examine the motions and mobility of fibrous and fragmental MPs under various surfactant (AEO, CTAC, and AES) and electrolyte conditions. The videos showed that fibrous MPs formed tangles through entanglement, which moved in an axial direction aligned with the flow streamline. Both fibrous and fragmental MPs showed suspended movement as well as surface movement (e.g., sliding, rolling, and saltating) in the porous media. Some deposited fibrous MPs showed flexible deformation due to shear flow. Compared to fragmental MPs, fibrous MPs showed lower mobility due to the tendency to deposit and clog the porous media. The mobility of fragmental MPs was enhanced in the presence of AEO but remained relatively unchanged with AES. In the presence of CTAC, the mobility of fragmental MPs was slightly inhibited under low ionic strength (IS) conditions but remarkably enhanced under high IS conditions. However, the mobility of fibrous MPs was largely unaffected by the surfactants. Both the numerical model and FDLVO calculations effectively described the transport and deposition of MPs in porous media.

Integrating Biofilm Growth and Degradation into a Model of Microplastic Transport in the Arctic Ocean

Integrating Biofilm Growth and Degradation into a Model of Microplastic Transport in the Arctic Ocean

Rainfall-induced microplastic fate and transport in unsaturated dutch soils

Microplastic pollution has become a growing concern in terrestrial ecosystems, with significant implications for environmental and human health. Understanding the fate and transport of microplastics in soil environment is crucial for effective mitigation strategies. This study investigates the dynamics of microplastic (Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and starch-based biodegradable plastic) transport in unsaturated soils under varying rainfall intensities and soil types, aiming to elucidate the factors influencing their behavior. Effluent samples were analyzed to measure microplastic transport, with microplastic balance analysis ensuring experimental accuracy. The setup replicated real-world flow conditions, providing insights into microplastic transport in unsaturated porous media. Microplastic balance analysis revealed high recovery factors (between 64 % and 104 %), indicating the reliability of the experimental approach. Microplastic transport varied significantly between sandy loam and loamy sand soils, with loamy sand soils exhibiting higher wash-off rates due to their unique properties. LDPE microplastics showed a higher tendency to detach from soil columns compared to PBAT and starch-based particles. Higher rainfall intensity in loamy sand soil columns resulted in an increased washout of LDPE, PBAT, and starch-based particles by 92 %, 144 %, and 85 %, respectively, compared to low rainfall intensity. In sandy loam soil, increased rainfall intensity resulted in a significantly higher washout of LDPE, PBAT, and starch-based particles with percentages of 93 %, 69 %, and 45 %, respectively. This underscores the important role of water flow in mobilizing microplastics within the soil matrix.

Vertical Transport of HDPE Microplastics through Sandy and Silty Soil

Microplastic pollution is an emerging concern and poses a potential risk to soil ecosystems and subsequently can lead to groundwater contamination. The sandy and silty soils are the major soil types covering more than 31 % of the land area globally. The vertical transport of microplastic in sandy and silty soil and further possible groundwater contamination is still unclear and not fully understood in the literature. The present study focuses on the movement of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) microplastics in quartz sand and silty soil using column experiments. Detailed flow through laboratory experiments are performed to understand the effect of varying the critical parameters in contaminant transport such as pore volumes (1PV,2PV,3PV,4PV,5PV,6PV,7PV,8PV,9PV,10PV) and flow rates (20,40,60,80,100,120 ml/min) on HDPE microplastic movement in sandy and silty soil separately. The maximum depth of microplastic transport in sandy soil was 20-22 cm for a flow rate of 120 ml/min, and 10-12 cm for 20 ml/min. In silty soil, the maximum depth of microplastic transport was 12-14 cm for 120 ml/min and 6-8 cm for 20 ml/min. The study also estimates the number of years required for microplastic contamination to reach groundwater under field conditions by considering the L/S ratio. The study estimated that it could take 144 years for microplastics to penetrate sandy soil and 356 years for silty soil, under the study conditions. The study highlights the significant threat posed by microplastics to groundwater contamination. The results suggest that soils may serve as both a sink for microplastics and a potential pathway for their entry into subsurface environments, such as underground habitats and water sources.

IT IS SNOWING MICROPLASTICS IN WESTERN SIBERIA

The atmosphere is an important transport medium for polymeric anthropogenic particles such as microplastics (MPs). The analysis of particles deposited on the snowpack enables monitoring the abundance and transport of MPs and semi-synthetic fibers. In the current study, the abundance of MPs and man-made textile fibers in deposited snow in Western Siberia, Russia, was investigated in a large area ranging from the Altai Mountains (52°01"N) to the Arctic Circle (66°30"N). Rayon fibers accounted for 44 % of all detected particles, while the remaining 66 % were MPs made of PET, PA, PC, PP and other plastics. The highest number of MPs and fibers per unit area was 2,817 ± 915 items m-2 with an estimated daily deposition rate of 25.8 items m-2 d-1. The maximum calculated mass particle load was 4,444 ± 1,530 mg m-2 or 34.9 ± 12 mg L-1 of melted snow. Particle concentrations in snow were generally higher in the southern parts of Western Siberia but did not significantly correlate with population density. The Lagrangian dispersion model FLEXPART was used to estimate the geographical patterns of potential sources of the fibers detected in the snow in Western Siberia. Our analysis shows that particles can reach the sampling sites via both short-range and long-range atmospheric transport, including the possibility of cross-border transport for the smaller particle sizes.

Numerical simulation and experimental study of microplastic transport under open channel shear flow: Roles of particle physical properties and flow velocities

Microplastic (MP) transport patterns under open channel shear flow remain unclear. This study investigates the transport laws of MPs at various flow velocities, MP densities, sizes and concentrations in the U-shaped experimental flume and the numerical flume based on Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The results indicate that the average horizontal particle velocity and the transport distances of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polystyrene (PS) particles increase with the average cross-sectional flow velocity, while the average vertical particle velocity decreases with it. The total average particle velocity closely matches the average vertical particle velocity, regardless of the variation in MP size, density and concentration. Formula-based analysis reveals that the acceleration of spherical MP transport mainly depends on the particle size and its consequent relative drag force term (RDFT) under the conditions with a single type of MP particles, but on the particle density and its consequent RDFT and relative gravity term (RGT) in the case concerning different types of MP particles with identical particle sizes. The average horizontal particle velocity maximum of PVC and PS are both strongly correlated with the average flow velocity maximum in the cross-section. This correlation lowers with the MP particle size and concentration, and is independent of MP density. Our findings can provide reference for the prevention and control of MP pollution in rivers.

Effects of microplastics on the rheological properties of sediment slurries in aquatic environments

Sediment slurries, characterized by their high concentrations of fine-grained cohesive sediment, are prevalent in various aquatic environments, including fluid mud, sediment gravity flows, and dredging slurries. Abundant microplastics have been detected in sediment slurries, which indicates that these slurries function as carriers for the transport of microplastics. However, there is a dearth of understanding on how sediment slurries transport microplastics. To ascertain the transport mechanisms, elucidating the effects of microplastics on the rheological properties of sediment slurries is a prerequisite because these properties govern the flow dynamics and mobility of such slurries. This study conducts experimental and theoretical investigations to examine, interpret, and quantify the effects of microplastics on the rheological properties of sediment slurries. Microplastics are shown to increase the yield stress and viscosity of sediment slurries via enhancing sediment aggregation. A new descriptor, specifically, the effective volume fraction, is proposed to characterize the effects of microplastics on sediment aggregation. Based on the newly-proposed descriptor, a new analytical model is proposed to predict the yield stress and viscosity of sediment slurries with microplastics. This study lays a foundation for further interpretating the flow dynamics and thus the transport processes of sediment slurries laden with microplastics.

Prediction of vertical transport of microplastics: Shape- and aging-dependent drag models

The prediction of vertical transport of microplastics (MPs) is essential for understanding their multidimensional transport, fate, and environmental risks, but drag models applicable to aging MPs are currently understudied. In this study, pristine and UV-aged polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) MPs were used for settling experiments. Combining physicochemical properties and transport data, a shape-dependent drag model based on the Corey shape factor was optimized with average errors of 9.73% and 10.42% and coefficients of determination of 0.6878 and 0.8359 for predicting the settling terminal velocities (ut) for PET and PS MPs, respectively. Meanwhile, aging-dependent drag models were constructed by incorporating the carbonyl index as functional forms of the newly defined aging index, which can be used to differentiate the effects of shape and aging characteristics on the vertical transport of MPs. These aging-dependent models showed better predictive abilities with average errors of 3.97% and 4.56% in predicting ut for PET MPs, and of 5.89% and 6.91% for PS MPs. Additionally, the drag models in this study improved applicability to predict vertical transport of environmentally-collected weathered MPs. With the continuous improvement of the transport database of diverse MPs, this study is expected to provide scientific support for predicting the environmental behaviors of MPs and formulating targeted pollution control strategies.

Microplastic fate in Arctic coastal waters: accumulation hotspots and role of rivers in Svalbard

Little is known about the role of remote and sparsely populated Arctic coastal zones in the microplastic cycle. Distribution of microplastics was studied in the Svalbard fjords in June – July 2022 with the main goal of assessing rivers’ role in the fate of microplastic in Arctic coastal waters. Surface microplastics (0 – 20 cm depth, 500 – 5000 µm size) were sampled with a neuston net in triplicate per study site in parallel with sampling of subsurface microplastics with a pump system (1.5 m depth, 100 – 5000 µm size). The central part of Isfjorden and its several branches covering populated and unpopulated fjords were studied; the sampling was conducted during an intense riverine discharge in all studied sites. Maximum abundance of surface microplastics (71,400 items/km2 or 0.19 iterms/m3, 0.19 mg/m3) was found along the river plume border in the middle of populated Adventfjorden indicating importance of both local sources and surface hydrodynamics in the formation of microplastics accumulation hotspots. All other unpopulated fjords were free of the floating on the sea surface microplastics as river discharge prevented transport of microplastics inside the fjords. The highest concentration of subsurface microplastics was found in the central part of Isfjorden and the lowest – in river plume waters, which also indicates the removal of microplastics from the inner part of fjords during an intensive river discharge. Our results may suggest that Arctic rivers flowing through unpopulated areas bring clean water and thereby reduce level of microplastic pollution in the coastal waters. In contrast to the rest of the world’s ocean, rivers are not the main source of microplastic pollution in the Arctic Ocean.

Sources Affecting Microplastic Contamination in Mountain Lakes in Tatra National Park

The global atmospheric transport of microplastics (MPs) plays a crucial role in the contamination of remote, especially higher-elevation, environments. Precipitation is considered the main source of MP pollution. Meanwhile, plastic waste generated from, for example, tourism activities can be a local source of MP pollution. In this study, we specify which of the mentioned sources of MP, global or local, have a higher impact on the pollution level in the high-elevation oligotrophic lakes of Tatra National Park in Poland. Due to its unique natural value, it is listed by UNESCO as an international biosphere reserve and meets the criteria for Natura 2000 areas. We comprehensively analyzed the morphometric and anthropogenic features of 11 lakes in terms of the contamination level, color, shape, and polymer type of the MPs found in the surface waters. MP fibers were found to be present in all studied lakes, with contamination ranging from 25 to 179 items/m3. Polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and natural or semi-natural cellulose fibers—black or red in color with a length of 0.2–1.0 mm—predominated, which corresponds with other studies conducted on remote mountain ecosystems. We did not find any correlation of the number of MPs with local anthropogenic pressure characteristics. In turn, the significant correlation with lake area, coastline length, lake volume, and catchment area indicated airborne sources, including global transport of MPs to the lakes with reduced water outflow.

Microplastic Transport and Accumulation in Rural Waterbodies: Insights from a Small Catchment in East China.

Microplastic (MP) pollution in agricultural ecosystems is an emerging environmental concern, with limited knowledge of its transport and accumulation in rural waterbodies. This study investigates the distribution and sources of MP in drainage ditches influenced by pond connectivity, land use, and soil properties within a small catchment in Nanjing, East China. Sediment was collected from ditches in 18 sites across forest, agricultural, horticultural, and urban areas. Using laser-directed infrared spectroscopy (LDIR), 922 MP particles were identified. Six materials were dominant: fluororubber (FR), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PU), acrylonitrile (ACR), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), and polyethylene (PE). MP concentrations varied by land use and pond connectivity, with ditches above ponds exhibiting higher counts (1700 particles/kg) than those below (1050 particles/kg), indicating that ponds act as MP sinks. The analysis revealed site-specific MP sources, with FR linked to road runoff and PET associated with agricultural practices. Correlations between MP shape and soil properties showed that more compact and filled shapes were more commonly associated with coarser soils. PE particle size was negatively correlated with organic matter. This study highlights the need for targeted strategies to reduce MP pollution in rural landscapes, such as reducing plastic use, ditch maintenance, and improved road runoff management.

Effect of ultraviolet aging and neonicotinoids on the transport of degradable microplastics in saturated porous media

The environmental safety and risk of transporting degradable microplastics (DMPs) and agrochemicals are being actively studied and evaluated. In this study, the aging of polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) DMPs were comprehensively explored under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The effects of neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, dinotefuran, and nitenpyram) on the transport of DMPs before and after aging were investigated using column experiments and density-functional theory. PHA exhibited stronger resistance to UV degradation than PLA and PBAT owing to its higher hydrophobicity. During aging, ester groups (C–O) were broken in the DMPs and carbonyl groups (C=O) were formed. The calculated molecular electrostatic potential and localized orbital locator as well as the measured zeta potential, verified that the adsorption of neonicotinoids on the DMPs supplemented their surface charge at lower neonicotinoid concentrations, but effectively shielded it at high concentrations. The promoting effect of UV aging on transport was approximately equal for PLA and PBAT but lower for PHA. With the increasing degree of aging, the inhibitory effect of neonicotinoids on DMP recovery became more pronounced. Neonicotinoids, especially dinotefuran, had the most prominent inhibitory effect on the transport of aged PLA and PBAT, with the recoveries of PLA and PBAT UV-aged for 24 h reduced by 38.63% and 34.18%, respectively. These results indicate that the potential ecological hazards arising from the aging and transport of DMPs in the actual environment deserve further investigation.

Exploring microplastic distribution in Western North American snow

Microplastic (MP) transport in the atmosphere, one of the least studied environmental compartments because of the relatively small size of air-borne MPs and the challenges in identifying them, may be inferred from their occurrence in snowfall. In this study, 11 sites across western coastal North America were sampled and analyzed for MP presence in fresh snowfall, months-old summer surface snow, and stratified deposits in snow pits. MPs were detected and characterized using a method integrating linear array µ-Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (µFTIR) and batch spectral analysis with open-source platform Open Specy. Recovery rate analysis from sample filtration to data analysis was conducted, and analysis of field or laboratory blanks suggested negligible contamination (≤ 1 polyamide fragment per blank). Concentrations of MPs in the fresh snowfall of remote sites and those proximal to sources were 5.1–150.8 p/L and 104.5–325 p/L of snowmelt water, respectively. Summer surface snow that was several months old had MP concentrations ranging from 57.5–539 p/L of meltwater, and snow sampled at different depths within a snowpack had concentrations ranging from 35–914 p/L. Our results demonstrate a streamlined method that may be used for measuring MPs in remote or pristine environments, contributing to a better understanding of long-range MP transport.

Microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill-wastewater treatment systems: A field study

Landfills and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are point sources for many emerging contaminants, including microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Previous studies have estimated the abundance and transport of microplastics and PFAS separately in landfills and WWTPs. In addition, previous studies typically report concentrations of microplastics as particle count/L or count/g sediment, which do not provide the information needed to calculate mass balances. We measured microplastics and PFAS in four landfill-WWTP systems in Illinois, USA, and quantified mass of both contaminants in landfill leachate, WWTP influent, effluent, and biosolids. Microplastic concentrations in WWTP influent were similar in magnitude to landfill leachates, in the order of 102 μg plastic/L (parts-per-billion). In contrast, PFAS concentrations were higher in leachates (parts-per-billion range) than WWTP influent (parts-per-trillion range). After treatment, both contaminants had lower concentrations in WWTP effluent, although were abundant in biosolids. We concluded that WWTPs reduce PFAS and microplastics, lowering concentrations in the effluent that is discharged to nearby surface waters. However, partitioning of both contaminants to biosolids may reintroduce them as pollutants when biosolids are landfilled or used as fertilizer.

Microplastic transport and ecological risk in coastal intruded aquifers based on a coupled seawater intrusion and microplastic risk assessment model

Seawater-groundwater interactions can enhance the migration process of microplastics to coastal aquifers, posing increased associated environmental risks. Here, we aim to analyze the relationship between seawater intrusion (SWI) and groundwater microplastic pollution in Laizhou Bay (LZB), which is a typical area of sea-land interactions. The results showed that modern seawater intrusion was the main process controlling the migration of microplastics. The detected microplastics in the study area showed a migration pattern from nearshore marine areas to groundwater aquifers along the SWI direction. In addition, the microplastics also reached the brine formed by palaeo-saltwater intrusion through hydraulic exchange between aquifers. By comparing the spatial distributions of different microplastic parameters, we found that nearshore fisheries, commercial, tourism, textile, and agricultural activities were the main sources of microplastics in groundwater in the study area. A risk assessment model of microplastics associated with SWI was further optimized in this study using a three-level classification system by assigning appropriate weights to different potential influencing factors. The results showed moderate comprehensive ecological risks associated with microplastics from seawater intrusion in the study area, with high microplastic enrichment risks. This study provides a scientific basis for future research on seawater-groundwater interactions and microplastic pollution in coastal regions.

Transport of microplastics treated with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma in saturated porous media

The performance of discharge plasma in treating organic pollutants and micro-organisms in water is impressive. When discharge plasma is used to treat polluted water containing organic pollutants and microorganisms, the presence of a certain amount of microplastics (MPs) in the water is unavoidable due to the complexity of the components contained in the water and the prevalence of MPs. MPs, as one of the pollutants that are difficult to be degraded by discharge plasma, undergo physical and chemical changes that increase their risk in the environment after treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the fate of MPs after being treated with discharge plasma. In this study, the surface morphology of plastics before and after discharge plasma treatment was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The plastics after discharge plasma treatment were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to determine the changes in oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface. The recovery of microplastics (MPs) in saturated porous media under different physicochemical and plasma oxidation conditions was investigated by column experiments. It has been shown that MPs exhibit increased recovery under conditions of increased flow rate and pH. A decrease in recovery was observed at elevated ionic strength and co-existing cation valence. High voltages and low air flow rates increase the oxidation of MPs by increasing the thermal effects of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system, the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the intensity of ultraviolet ray (UV) irradiation. The mobility of MPs is enhanced by a combination of these factors. The advection–dispersion equation (ADE) fits the transport data of MPs well. The interaction energy between quartz sand and MPs was calculated using the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory. This study provides a new perspective on the potential risks of discharge plasma in water treatment.

Settling and rising velocities of microplastics: Laboratory experiments and lattice Boltzmann modeling

Microplastics (MPs) have become pervasive in marine ecosystems, potentially causing environmental degradation, impacting ecological function, and posing a serious public health risk. Despite the widespread distribution of MPs, their vertical transport within a water column has limited understanding, representing a key knowledge gap in the development of water quality models to minimize these risks. In this study, 6152 individual particles of six common types of MPs were observed through water column experiments to examine a range of drivers of the vertical velocity of MPs, including particle density and size, biofilm growth, water temperature, and salinity. The experimental results revealed that the vertical velocity of MPs obeyed Stokes’ law under laminar conditions; increasing salinity decreased the settling tendency of the particles. Moreover, biofilm attachment induced notable alterations in particle characteristics within 60 days, resulting in slower settling velocities (up to a 21.9% change for non-buoyant MPs) and even a reversed vertical direction (up to several times for buoyant particles). Furthermore, a lattice Boltzmann model could predict the vertical velocity of MPs with reasonable accuracy, especially for small particles. This work facilitates the development of sophisticated models/formulas that integrate particle morphology, hydrodynamics, and biological factors to enhance the understanding of MP transport through the river-to-coastal continuum.

Effect of biosurfactants on the transport of polyethylene microplastics in saturated porous media

Microplastic (MP) pollution has become a significant global environmental issue, and the potential application of biosurfactants in soil remediation has attracted considerable attention. However, the effects of biosurfactants on the transport and environmental risks of MPs are not fully understood. This study investigated the transport of polyethylene (PE) in the presence of two types of biosurfactants: typical anionic biosurfactant (rhamnolipids) and non-ionic biosurfactant (sophorolipids) using column experiments. We explored the potential mechanisms involving PE surface roughness and the influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on PE transport in the column under the action of biosurfactants, utilizing the Wenzel equation and fluorescence analysis. The results revealed that both the concentration of biosurfactants and the surface roughness of PE were advantageous for the adhesion of biosurfactants to the PE surface, thereby enhancing the mobility of PE in the column. The proportion of hydrophobic substances in various DOM sources is a critical factor that enhances PE transport in the column. However, the biosurfactant-mediated enhancement of PE transport was inhibited by the biosurfactant-DOM mixture. This was mainly due to DOM occupying the adhesion sites of biosurfactants on PE surfaces. Moreover, the mobility of PE in the presence of sophorolipids is higher than that in the presence of rhamnolipids because the combined hydrophobic and electrostatic forces between PE and sophorolipids create synergistic effects that improve PE stability. Additionally, the mobility of PE increased with rising pH and decreasing ionic strength. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of MP transport when using biosurfactants for soil remediation.

Experimental study of interception effect by submerged dam on microplastics

Submerged dam can alter microplastic (MP) transport, and act as a sink for MPs. In this paper, we investigated the interception rates of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Polystyrene (PS) by an artificial submerged dam in a flow flume at first, and found that most of the un-intercepted PVC and PS particles by the dam accumulated behind it under the subcritical (Fr < 1) and turbulent (Re > 500) flows. PVC particles behind the dam mainly concentrated within two dam widths, and the concentration of PS particles decreased with the distance behind the dam lengthening. Then, we performed linear regression fitting and Redundancy Analysis (RDA) between the interception rates collected in 162 experiment tests and environmental factors, including flow velocity, distance to dam and MP concentration. The results showed that the interception rate of PVC and PS particles increased with the distance to dam lengthening, but decreased with the flow velocity and MP concentration heightening. RDA revealed that the interception rate was influenced by flow velocity, distance to dam, and MP concentration from the most to the least. Our findings are believed to contribute to understanding the mechanism of the interception effect of submerged dam on microplastics.

Microplastics in glaciers of Tibetan Plateau: Characteristics and potential sources

Microplastics (MPs) in glaciers of remote areas are a hot topic linking the global transport of atmospheric MPs. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) holds large volume of glaciers, providing an effective way to trace MPs transport. Moreover, MPs in glaciers may have adverse effects on the local ecosystem and human health. In this study, we investigate MPs in snowpits collected from six glaciers across the different domain of the TP. The average abundance of MPs in six snowpits is 339.22 ± 51.85 items L−1 (with size ≥10 μm) measured by Agilent 8700 Laser Direct Infrared Chemical Imaging System (LDIR), represented by relatively high MPs abundance in the southern TP and low in the northern TP. The polymers with lower density, namely polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), and rubber, are the main MPs types, which are predominated by fragments with sizes smaller than 100 μm in each snowpit. Sources of MPs on glaciers include local tourism and vehicle traffic emissions of MPs. Meanwhile, long-range atmospheric transport of MPs from surrounded regions cannot be ignored. Backward trajectory analysis indicates cross-boundary transport of atmospheric MPs from South Asia play an important role on MPs deposited onto TP glaciers. Analysis further reveals that MPs in glaciers are associated with atmospheric mineral dust deposition. This study provides new data for the investigation of MPs in glaciers of remote areas, and a reference for studying MPs in the ice cores of TP glaciers.