Basel researchers find significantly more plastic in the Antarctic
Published: Tuesday, Apr 9th 2024, 10:31
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There is far more plastic floating in the Antarctic Ocean than previously thought. A large proportion of the plastic particles are so small that previous studies had not recorded them, as researchers from Basel have shown in a new study.
For previous studies, the plastic particles were fished out of the sea using a fine net, explained the University of Basel in a press release on Tuesday. These nets had mesh sizes of around 300 micrometers, i.e. a third of a millimeter. Smaller particles did not get caught.
In the newly examined seawater samples from the Antarctic Weddel Sea, however, 98.33 percent of the plastic particles were smaller than 300 micrometers, as the international research team led by the University of Basel showed in its study in the journal "Science of the Total Environment".
Instead of fishing the plastic particles out of the sea with a net, the researchers pumped seawater into a tank and analyzed all the water using infrared spectroscopy. This enabled them to detect particles as small as 11 micrometers, i.e. particles that were only a fraction of the thickness of a single human hair.
Particularly susceptible creatures
"There are concerns that these more common smaller microplastic particles pose a more significant risk to aquatic life," the researchers wrote in the study. These creatures, which are adapted to extreme living conditions, are particularly susceptible to environmental pollutants.
According to the researchers, it is not yet clear exactly how the microplastics got into the remote Weddel Sea and whether the plastic particles ever get out again. Possible sources include shipping in the region, both for tourism, fishing and research purposes, as well as the research stations on land. However, the microplastics could also reach the Antarctic via ocean currents or atmospheric transport from other regions.
Clara Leistenschneider, lead author of the study, expressed her optimism in the press release from the University of Basel. Many stakeholders around the world are working hard to better understand the problem and develop ideas to reduce plastic pollution.
©Keystone/SDA
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