High Levels of Microplastics in the Arctic Sea Ice Alga Melosira arctica, a Vector to Ice-Associated and Benthic Food Webs.
Environ Sci Technol
; 57(17): 6799-6807, 2023 05 02.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37083047
Plastic pollution has become ubiquitous with very high quantities detected even in ecosystems as remote as Arctic sea ice and deep-sea sediments. Ice algae growing underneath sea ice are released upon melting and can form fast-sinking aggregates. In this pilot study, we sampled and analyzed the ice algaeMelosira arcticaand ambient sea water from three locations in the Fram Strait to assess their microplastic content and potential as a temporary sink and pathway to the deep seafloor. Analysis by µ-Raman and fluorescence microscopy detected microplastics (≥2.2 µm) in all samples at concentrations ranging from 1.3 to 5.7 × 104 microplastics (MP) m-3 in ice algae and from 1.4 to 4.5 × 103 MP m-3 in sea water, indicating magnitude higher concentrations in algae. On average, 94% of the total microplastic particles were identified as 10 µm or smaller in size and comprised 16 polymer types without a clear dominance. The high concentrations of microplastics found in our pilot study suggest thatM. arctica could trap microplastics from melting ice and ambient sea water. The algae appear to be a temporary sink and could act as a key vector to food webs near the sea surface and on the deep seafloor, to which its fast-sinking aggregates could facilitate an important mechanism of transport.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Contaminantes Químicos del Agua
/
Microplásticos
Tipo de estudio:
Risk_factors_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Environ Sci Technol
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos