Microplastics found in the atmosphere of Antarctica

It is one of the most pristine places on the planet, but microplastics have already reached the atmosphere of Antarctica, as confirmed by a team of scientists from several Spanish universities, who have confirmed environmental pollution in the region and the presence of various aerosols of human origin.

Scientists from the universities of Zaragoza, Complutense de Madrid and the Basque Country have “trapped” some of these pollutants in the air filters of a collector that they had installed on Decepción Island, one of the cleanest and purest places on the planet.

The work carried out by the scientists of these universities is part of the project for the characterization of atmospheric aerosols in Antarctica, and the conclusions of their research have been published in the journal “Spectrochimica Acta: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy”, has reported in a note released today by the Complutense University.

Microplastics found in the stomach contents of boquichicos fish from the Peruvian Amazon

In addition to microplastics, researchers have discovered the presence of other aerosols of anthropogenic origin such as black carbon, biologicals such as bacteria and minerals, including ammonium nitrate, singenite and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

The results reveal that some pollutants manage to penetrate the Antarctic atmosphere, coming from nearby areas or from the increasing number of tourist cruises and the intense maritime traffic at Cape Horn.

“This shows the seriousness and scope of the environmental contamination we are witnessing,” said Jesús Anzano, professor of Analytical Chemistry and coordinator of the Chemical and Environmental research group at the University of Zaragoza.

The researcher has observed that the presence of microplastics had already been detected in penguin feces, but it is the first time that the presence of these pollutants has been observed in air filters, due, among other issues, to the low recycling of the plastic used. , which breaks up into microparticles that pollute the waters and the air and therefore also feed the Antarctic fauna.

“As far as we know, these are the first measurements of microplastic particle aerosols in the Antarctic atmosphere. Furthermore, the potential origin of these aerosols was studied, revealing four different local anthropogenic sources for carbon particles, together with a probable long-range transport in the atmosphere for microplastic and bacterial particles ”, explained Jorge Cáceres, researcher at the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Complutense of Madrid.

Climate change accelerates one of the strongest currents on Earth

To carry out this study, the team has taken atmospheric samples also of water, snow and soil that were studied applying an analytical methodology.

“Air pollution caused by the presence of these anthropogenic particles such as microplastics, carbon and fertilizers can cause serious environmental problems for Antarctic ecosystems and climate,” Cáceres warned.

And he has cited as an example that fertilizers, along with rising temperatures, will allow exotic species to invade Antarctic ecosystems with greater success, affecting native flora and fauna.

The research is further proof, according to the researchers, that environmental pollution is a fact in the Antarctic region, so the successful characterization and regular monitoring of individual particles “is crucial for a better understanding of their potential environmental impacts. in the region ”, Cáceres pointed out.

Decepción Island, to the northwest of the Antarctic Peninsula, has been home to the Gabriel de Castilla Spanish Antarctic Base (BAE) since 1989, where dozens of scientists travel to develop their research projects every southern summer, between December and March. (I)