Imagine a glacier. Are you thinking “glittering snow” or “plastic pollution?” A new study underscores the pervasive nature of plastic pollution, even in such remote and apparently pristine areas.

In a new study published in Scientific Reports that used a citizen science approach, scientists have worked with trained mountaineers to sample surface snow in otherwise inaccessible areas.

Tire wear particles in the snow

Nanoplastics were found in 5 out of 14 high-altitude glacier sites, with concentrations ranging from 2 to 80 nanograms per milliliter of snow. The most common kinds of nanoplastics detected were tire wear particles (41%), polystyrene (28%), and polyethylene (12%).

Earlier studies have also found evidence of microplastics in remote and high-altitude environments across the world. And where there are microplastics, there are bound to be nanoplastics as well.

In addition, atmospheric transport is already known to bring microplastics to remote regions; this is likely to be even more significant for nanoplastics due to their smaller size and weight.

Tracking backwards

One of the scientists working with atmospheric transport of nanoplastics in the study is senior scientist Nikolaos Evangeliou at NILU.

“To simulate how the nanoplastic particles traveled through the air to the sampling sites, we used a so-called Lagrangian dispersion model. Thus, we found that their primary sources were regions west of the Alps, including France, Spain, and Switzerland,” Evangeliou says.

Nanoplastics may be ‘everywhere’

According to Evangeliou, finding nanoplastics in remote glaciers is not surprising.

“Our findings merely show that plastic pollution on a micro- and nano scale may be more widespread than earlier assumed. Due to their minuscule size, these particles have large potential to be transported through the atmosphere over long distances, contributing to global pollution,” he explains.

Future studies will include more comprehensive sampling and analysis techniques to better understand the distribution and sources of nanoplastics.

What also concerns scientists, is that the nanoparticles’ presence in glaciers could have unknown effects on ecosystems, climate and human health, particularly as they can enter water sources and food chains.

New research project on micro- and nanoplastics

The findings prompted the launch of the Global Atmospheric Plastics Survey (GAPS). This is a research project with the aim to build a definitive picture of the spread of micro- and nano-plastic pollution in the atmosphere around the world.

The project is one of the largest mountaineering and scientific expeditions ever undertaken—50 separate expedition teams will take samples from key high-altitude locations all over the world. Seven of the expeditions are already complete, with samples collected from teams in the Tian Shan mountains in central Asia, the Rwenzori mountains between Uganda and Congo, Himlung Himal in Nepal, and the South Pole.

Micro- and nanoplastics pollution is a well-known environmental issue. Extensive research has been done to quantify the amount of plastic released into the environment, as well as investigate its negative effects on living organisms.

Although there is not yet a clear definition for nanoplastics, they are generally defined by a size of less than 1 micrometer in at least one dimension. The main source of nanoplastics in the environment is the degradation of macro- and microplastics.