Microplastics found in Antarctic snow for the first time

Microplastics once found in Antarctic ice and surface water have appeared in snowfall, researchers say.

The study, carried out by the University of Canterbury team, overseen by Dr Laura Revell, was published in the scientific journal The Cryosphere.

Researchers report microplastics in fresh Antarctic snow.

The researchers found an average of 29 microplastics per liter of melted snow. They identified 13 different types of plastic, the most common being polyethylene terephthalate (PET), mainly used in soft drink bottles and clothing. This is the type of plastic found in 79% of samples.

"They may have traveled thousands of kilometers through the air to get here, but it is also possible that the human presence in Antarctica has created microplastics," researcher Revell said.

Microplastic pollution has far-reaching effects. Experts say people can inhale and ingest microplastics through the air, water and food.

There have not been many studies on the impact of microplastics on human health, but a study by the Hull York School of Medicine and the University of Hull in 2021 showed that high levels of microplastics entering the human body can be harmful. potential for harmful effects, including allergic reactions.

An American study of lung cancer patients in 1998 found microplastics and plant fibers (such as cotton) in more than 100 samples. In cancerous tissue, 97% of samples contained fibers and in non-cancerous samples, 83% were contaminated.

Microplastics have even been found in the placenta of pregnant women, and in pregnant mice, they travel rapidly through the lungs into the heart, brain and other organs of the fetus.

Plastic waste is being released into the environment to a large extent and microplastics pollute the entire planet, from Mount Everest to the deepest oceans.

Microplastics can increase the impact of global warming. Snow fields, ice caps and glaciers around the world are melting rapidly. The dark microplastics deposited in these locations could make things worse by absorbing sunlight, scientists say.