PICE Talk by Sydney Fox

Title: Microplastics in ice cores: Vatnajökull case study

Abstract: Microplastic contamination poses an increasing risk to the biosphere, affecting the food chain and human health. This work aims to determine for the first time i) the deposition processes of microplastic particles in glaciers, ii) the fate of microplastics in glaciers and iii) the possible pathways of microplastic particles from glacial systems to freshwater sources or the ocean. The project uses the Vatnajökull ice cap, the largest ice cap in Europe by volume, as a case study. The research will provide an estimate of the concentration and quantity of microplastics in the annual snow layer of the ice cap and related meltwater samples. Glaciers are important terrestrial systems that provide water supplies and many other ecosystem supports. With plastic pollution expected to triple by 2040, this research will provide novel insights into the role and dynamics of atmospheric and glacial systems worldwide in the context of growing microplastic pollution.