Turkish scientists who went to Antarctica to set up a science base have collected samples from three lagoons and glacial lakes on the continent's Robert Island and after examinations of the sediment samples, conducted in Türkiye, have concluded that the pollution and spread of microplastics have reached even the world's most remote places.
Scientists have discovered that the arctic sediment samples contained microplastics of the type microfibers and microbeads. "The fact that plastics reach Antarctica and the fact that sediments are in the water layer, even in fish, is maybe good for us in terms of (academic) discovery, but it is very bad for humanity," professor Raif Kandemir, head of Geological Engineering Department of Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University (RTEU), said.
The Turkish scientists who went to the continent with the 2nd National Arctic Science Expedition conducted dives into three lagoons and glacial lakes on Robert Island in the South Shetland Islands and collected samples. Sediment samples taken by Kandemir and Middle East Technical University (METU) research assistant Korhan Özkan were stored in special containers and brought to Türkiye for research.
The study was also led by RTUE Faculty of Fisheries Microplastics Research Group team leader Ülgen Aytan and research assistant Yasemen Şentürk. The results proved that microplastics that threaten organic life have reached even the South Pole where human contact is almost nonexistent, by atmospheric movement. The findings were shared with the scientific community at the 6th National Polar Sciences Workshop held at Trabzon Karadeniz Technical University (KTU).
"We took the samples from three lagoons and glacial lakes on the island. By entering the lake with waterproof clothes and burying the tubes, sediment samples were taken and evaluated. Microplastics were found in the samples. We discovered that microplastics can exist in Antarctica, too. Already in the literature, microplastic pollution in Antarctica is included in the references. It was an area where we thought there might be pollution, after all," Kandemir said.
"Chile has an abandoned base on the island, which is also an island visited by many scientists. However, microplastics are not only brought in by humans. They can also be carried by winds to regions far from their source."
Kandemir stated that Turkish scientists will continue to work in Antarctica. "Türkiye is a country that has high momentum in establishing a science base in Antarctica. I hope that if a permanent science base is established on Horseshoe Island in the coming years, this will be a very important step for Turkish science."
"Large-sized plastics were first reported from Antarctica in 1979, but the studies on microplastics are quite limited," Aytan said. "With this study, microplastics were detected in three lagoons and a glacial lake on Robert Island. With the special analysis methods we applied in the laboratory, the physical and chemical identification of microplastics separated from the sediment was made. We found fiber in the vast majority of them, especially in the glacial lake."
"There are research stations and bases as local resources in that area. Also research, fishing and tourist ships can be cited as sources of plastic pollution, but the source of these 'fiber' forms are kilometers away," Aytan noted.
"It is possible to find microplastics even in the Himalayas. Microplastic pollution has reached everywhere. These areas, free from human pressure, show us how important atmospheric movement is and also unfortunately how difficult it is to combat this pollutant."