The origin of the Arctic Ocean microplastics was discovered. Previous studies have reported that there are high concentrations of microplastics particles in all parts of the Arctic Ocean, but it is not clear about their sources and gathering locations. It may have been flowing in the Arctic Ocean for at least ten years. The origin of the Arctic Ocean microplastics was discovered.

The origin of the microplastics in the Arctic Ocean was discovered 1 A study published in a scientific report on Thursday showed that the high-level microplastics found throughout the Arctic Ocean seems to come from rivers in Europe. Although previous studies have confirmed the concentration of microplastics particles in the Arctic Ocean, their sources are still unclear.

To track the waterways of microplastics particles found in the Arctic Ocean, the researchers used ocean current models from 2007 to 20 17. They combined the ocean current model with the simulation of floating microplastics. Using this method, the researchers created a simulation model to release microplastics from 265,438+0 major rivers in Northern Europe and the Arctic. This simulation has been simulating the microplastics movement for decades.

Afterwards, the researchers compared the simulation results with seawater samples collected near the west coast of Norway in 20 17 and 20 18. The microplastics particles obtained from the analysis of seawater samples are consistent with the researchers' simulation results, which further strengthens the theory of European origin.

When waste plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces, which cannot be cleaned or contained, microplastics will appear. The impacts of microplastics on ecosystems and organisms are not clear, but their increasing concentrations in waters around the world have been stimulating scientists to step up their research.

The researchers said in their paper: "The circulation of this extremely durable floating plastic in the Arctic ecosystem may have far-reaching effects, such as being ingested by invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals-causing a series of harmful physiological reactions."

According to new research, nearly 400 million tons of plastics are produced every year, and this figure is expected to double by 2050.

The origin of the Arctic Ocean microplastics has been discovered. A study in Science Report shows that microplastics floating in European rivers may accumulate in batches in the Arctic Ocean, Nordic Sea and Baffin Bay.

Previous studies have reported that there are high concentrations of microplastics particles everywhere in the Arctic Ocean, but it is not clear where they come from and where they gather.

Matshuer Brten of Norwegian Institute of Oceanography and his colleagues combined the ocean current model from 2007 to 20 17 with the simulation of floating microplastics motion. They simulated that 2 1 major rivers passing through northern Europe and the North Pole released microplastics every day for ten years, and then modeled their movements for decades. Then the researchers compared the modeling results with the distribution of floating microplastics in 12 1 seawater samples, which were collected from the 17 station near the Norwegian west coast from May 20 17 to August 20 18.

The author found that most of the particles released by the river in the simulation would drift along two roads. 65% flows to the Laptev Sea off the coast of Norway (located in northern Russia), and then it is transported to the Arctic Ocean, passes through the Arctic, and then leaves the Arctic Ocean via the Fromm Strait in eastern Greenland. 30% of the simulated particles move along the coast of Norway, then cross the Fromm Strait southward, drift along the eastern and southern coasts of Greenland, and then move southward along the northeastern coast of Canada.

After 20 years of simulation, researchers identified a clear floating microplastics accumulation area. These areas are located in the Nordic Sea, Nansen Basin in the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Laptev Sea (between the Arctic Ocean and northern Russia) and Baffin Bay (between Greenland and Canada). The analysis of seawater samples shows that the distribution of floating microplastics is consistent with the author's prediction of the flows in the Nordic Sea, the Arctic Ocean and the Fromm Strait ten years after the release of simulated microplastics. This indicates that the floating microplastics may have been floating in the Arctic Ocean for at least ten years.

The author thinks that floating microplastics may have an impact on the health of Arctic ecosystem. They added that these findings emphasized the importance of better management of plastic waste.

The origin of the Arctic Ocean microplastics has been discovered. A recent environmental research paper published by Springer Nature's open access academic journal Science Report holds that microplastics floating in European rivers may accumulate in batches in the Arctic Ocean, Nordic Sea and Baffin Bay.

Previous studies have reported that there are high concentrations of microplastics particles everywhere in the Arctic Ocean, but it is not clear where they come from and where they gather.

Large-scale circulation in the Arctic and Mediterranean and the main sources of rivers in the microplastics (Source: author). Springer nature photography provides.

The author of this paper, Mats of Norwegian Institute of Oceanography, and his colleagues combined the ocean current model with the simulation of floating microplastics movement from 2007 to 20 17. They simulated that 2 1 major rivers passing through northern Europe and the North Pole released microplastics every day for ten years, and then modeled their movements for decades.

Subsequently, the researchers compared the modeling results with the distribution of floating microplastics in 12 1 seawater samples collected from the 17 station near the west coast of Norway from May 20 17 to August 20 18.

The author found that most of the particles released by the river in the simulation will drift along two roads: 65% will go to the Laptev Sea off the coast of Norway (located in northern Russia), then be transported to the Arctic Ocean, pass through the Arctic, and then leave the Arctic Ocean via the Fromm Strait in eastern Greenland; 30% of the simulated particles move along the coast of Norway, then cross the Fromm Strait southward, drift along the eastern and southern coasts of Greenland, and then move southward along the northeastern coast of Canada.

After 20 years of simulation, researchers have identified clear floating microplastics clusters, which are located in the Nordic Sea, Nansen Basin of the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Laptev Sea (between the Arctic Ocean and northern Russia) and Baffin Bay (between Greenland and Canada).

Estimated time for microplastics floating in the ocean gathering area and Europe to reach the Arctic highlands (Source: Author). Springer nature photography provides.

The analysis of seawater samples shows that the distribution of the floating microplastics is consistent with the simulated microplastics's flow in the Nordic Sea, the Arctic Ocean and the Fram Strait ten years after its release, which indicates that the floating microplastics may have been flowing in the Arctic Ocean for at least ten years.

The authors believe that floating microplastics may have an impact on the health of the Arctic ecosystem, and their research results emphasize the importance of better management of plastic waste.