Microplastic particles are found in the marine atmosphere even in remote parts of the world. of the University of Oldenburg, Dr. These tiny particles come from land-based sources but are also re-emitted from the sea to the atmosphere, according to a study by a team of German and Norwegian researchers led by Barbara Scholz-Bettcher.

The scientists analyzed air samples taken from various locations along the Norwegian coast as far as the Arctic region. The results were published in a scientific journal. Nature Communication.

“With our research, we present for the first time data on the bulk loading of different types of plastics in the marine atmosphere,” said Isabelle Gossmann, a doctoral student at the Institute of Marine Chemistry and Biology (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg. ) and the first author of the article.

The research team collected the samples during the 2021 Heincke research vessel expedition. The northernmost destination was Bear Island, the southernmost island of the Svalbard archipelago, halfway between the mainland and the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. The team used two different devices to collect air samples. The devices actively pumped air and were placed in the nose of the research vessel at an altitude of twelve meters.

Different types of plastics are defined

The scientists analyzed the air samples using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. With this method, they were able to identify and quantify different types of plastics in the atmosphere through thermal degradation and selective analysis. They then performed model calculations and reconstructed the sources and propagation paths of the particles, each only a few thousandths of a millimeter in size.

The analysis revealed that polyester particles can be found everywhere. Particles of polyethylene terephthalate, which were presumed to have entered the atmosphere in the form of textile fibers, were detected in all samples. Other types of plastics were also available, including polypropylene, polycarbonate, and polystyrene. Tire wear particles, which are fine debris that rub against tires while driving and particularly braking, have been identified as another major source of microplastics.

The researchers measured microplastic concentrations of up to 37.5 nanograms per cubic meter of air (one nanogram = one billionth of a gram). “These pollutants are ubiquitous. We find them even in remote polar regions,” emphasized Gossmann.

Until now, little was known about the level of microplastic pollution in the marine atmosphere, including rubber wear particles. “There are only a few studies on the concentration of these pollutants in the air,” said team leader Scholz-Bettcher.

“Our model calculations show that microplastics in the marine atmosphere come from both direct sources on land and from the sea,” he added. The team hypothesizes that plastic particles floating near the sea surface enter the atmosphere, for example, through the explosion of sea spray and air bubbles formed during stormy weather.

Ships are also a source of microplastics.

Microplastics enter seawater through rivers, as well as through the atmosphere – particles are washed out of the atmosphere, for example, by rain. Another potential source is ship traffic: In a previous study, a team led by Scholz-Bettcher showed that paints and coatings used on ships in the open North Sea are a major source of microplastics. In the present study, chemicals such as polyurethane and epoxy, which are commonly used in marine paints and coatings, were also detected in air samples. Source