Scientists have discovered microplastics in the snow near some of Antarctica’s deep field camps, revealing how far-reaching plastic pollution has become.
Scientists have discovered microplastics in the snow near some of Antarctica’s deep field camps, revealing how far-reaching plastic pollution has become. While not new, it’s the first time these tiny pieces of plastic have been found in remote locations.
The study was conducted at field camps, at Union Glacier and Schanz Glacier (near the Ellsworth Mountains), where researchers were carrying out field work, and the South Pole where the US Antarctic Program has a research station. It is first time a new and advanced technique has been used to detect microplastics as small as 11 micrometres (about the size of a red blood cell) in the snow in Antarctica. The study is published this week (6 February 2025) in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
The findings surprised the team as microplastics were found at concentrations ranging from 73 to 3,099 particles per litre of snow. Most of these particles (95%) were smaller than 50 micrometres (0.005 cm, the size of most human cells), suggesting previous studies may have underestimated the extent of microplastic pollution in the region due to less sensitive detection methods.
Read More: British Antarctic Survey
A view over the Ellsworth Mountains, West Antarctica. (Photo Credit: Steve Gibbs, BAS)
