Researchers have reported that tiny plastic particles previously found in ice and surface water in Antarctica have also been detected in falling snow.
The study, conducted by a research team at the University of Canterbury and supervised by Dr. Laura Revell, was published in the scientific journal The Cryosphere.
Researchers report microplastics in newly fallen snow in Antarctica. (Illustrative image)
The researchers found an average of 29 microplastic particles per liter of melted snow. They identified 13 different types of plastic, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being the most common, primarily used in soft drink bottles and clothing. This type of plastic was found in 79% of the samples.
“They may have traveled thousands of kilometers through the air to get here, but it’s also possible that human presence in Antarctica has contributed to the microplastics,” said researcher Revell.
Microplastic pollution has widespread implications. Experts indicate that humans can inhale and ingest microplastics through air, water, and food.
There is still limited research on the effects of microplastics on human health, but a 2021 study from Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull indicated that high levels of microplastics entering the human body could have harmful effects, including allergic reactions.
A 1998 study in the United States found microplastic particles and plant fibers (such as cotton) in over 100 samples from lung cancer patients. In cancerous tissue, 97% of samples contained fibers, while 83% of non-cancerous samples were contaminated.
Microplastic particles have even been found in the placentas of pregnant women, and in pregnant mice, they quickly passed from the lungs to the heart, brain, and other organs of the fetus.
Plastic waste is being released into the environment at alarming rates, and microplastics are polluting the planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans.
Microplastics may exacerbate the effects of global warming. Snowfields, ice caps, and glaciers around the world are melting rapidly. Scientists indicate that dark-colored microplastics accumulating in these locations could worsen conditions by absorbing sunlight.
