Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41598-026-60433-w |
Licence  |
|
| Title (Primary) | First evidence of nanoplastics in Antarctica soil |
| Author | Le, Q.N.P.; Evangeliou, N.; Halsall, C.; Quinton, J.N.; Surridge, B.W.J.; Ashton, L.; Eckhardt, S.; Ruggiero, L.; Sciarra, A.; Florindo, F.; Zaccone, C.; Materić, D. |
| Source Titel | Scientific Reports |
| Year | 2026 |
| Department | EAC |
| Volume | 16 |
| Page From | art. 30753 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T9 Healthy Planet |
| Supplements | Supplement 1 |
| Abstract | Plastic contamination has become a global concern, with evidence even in remote regions like Antarctica. While macro- and microplastics have been documented in Antarctic marine ecosystems, their presence in soils - particularly submicro- and nanoplastics - remains poorly studied. This study analyses soil samples from the McMurdo Dry Valleys collected on January 8th to 28th, 2023, and reports the first detection of nanoplastics - including polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and tyre wear particles - using thermal desorption proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. These plastics were detected at multiple topsoil sampling sites (n = 13), with concentrations reaching up to 295 ng g⁻¹ with nanoplastics detected above polymer-specific method detection limits at 54% of sites (median: 26.6 ng g⁻¹). They were also detected at lower concentrations in deeper soil layers (> 20 cm; n = 4), where nanoplastics were present at 50% of the sampled sites (median: 1.95 ng g⁻¹). Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART suggested seasonal deposition patterns, with inputs from both local sources and long-range atmospheric transport. This evidence shows that soils in one of Earth’s most pristine environments are not exempt from plastic contamination, with the reported concentrations providing a crucial baseline for global pollution assessments. These findings also highlight the urgent need to study plastic fate, transport, and ecological impacts in polar regions. |
| Le, Q.N.P., Evangeliou, N., Halsall, C., Quinton, J.N., Surridge, B.W.J., Ashton, L., Eckhardt, S., Ruggiero, L., Sciarra, A., Florindo, F., Zaccone, C., Materić, D. (2026): First evidence of nanoplastics in Antarctica soil Sci. Rep. 16 , art. 30753 10.1038/s41598-026-60433-w |
|