Scientists have found evidence of microplastics and nanoplastics in remote soils of Antarctica.
Sampling by an international team of researchers led by scientists at Lancaster University uncovered the presence of nanoplastics (less than a micrometer in diameter) in the soils of the McMurdo Dry Valleys – a particularly remote and ice-free region of Antarctica.
The study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, shows plastics including polypropylene, polyethylene, PET, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and tyre wear particles, were all found in McMurdo Dry Valleys soils during sampling in January 2023.
While plastic pollution has become a global concern, and although large and microplastics have been found in Antarctic seas, their presence in soils has been understudied.
Plastics were found in the topsoils of thirteen sample sites, and nanoplastics found in 54% of topsoil sample sites. Nanoplastics were also found in deeper soil layers, albeit at lower concentrations, at half of sites sampled.
The discovery of the nanoplastics in the samples has been made possible by advances in analytical techniques. The researchers used a recently developed technique called ‘thermal desorption-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry’. This is a highly sensitive technique that is capable of detecting plastic nanoparticles.
The researchers believe that the plastics could be getting into the Antarctic environment from multiple sources, both local, from research stations on Antarctica, as well as being transported long distances to the continent in the atmosphere.
Though they say additional research will be required to pinpoint how the nanoplastics are arriving in Antarctica’s soils, as well as their potential impacts on this fragile and pristine ecosystem.
Dr Nhu Phan, the lead author of the study who conducted the research while a PhD researcher at Lancaster University, said: “This evidence shows that soils in one of Earth’s most pristine environments are not exempt from plastic contamination. These findings highlight the urgent need to study plastic fate, transport and ecological impacts in polar regions.”
The researchers say their findings, and the possible impacts on Antarctic ecosystems, are concerning.
They say polar ecosystems may be especially vulnerable because invertebrates have lower metabolism, slower growth and other characteristics that make them less adaptable and more susceptible to chemical stresses.
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