Microplastics in the surface sediments of Krossfjord-Kongsfjord system, Svalbard, Arctic

Krossfjord-Kongsfjord system in the European Arctic has been assessed for abundance, source and distribution of microplastics in the surface sediments. The average abundance of microplastics in Krossfjord and Kongsfjord is 721.42 +/- 217.89 (n = 5) pieces/kg and 783 +/- 530.28 (n = 8) pieces/kg. Polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene are abundant in the sediment samples. Fibers are the most common shape of plastic particles. A high abundance of smaller plastic particles in the sediment may be due to the fragmentation of larger plastic particles during transportation. The microplastics' spatial distribution, shape, size, and composition suggest that the long-range transport by west Spitsbergen current and local inputs from anthropogenic activities are possible sources of microplastics found in the study area. Our results exhibit the presence of microplastic pollution, suggesting the influence of anthropogenic activity in the Arctic fjord and the need to control/reduce marine pollution which has become a potential threat to marine organisms.

Automated summary

The abundance, source, and distribution of microplastics in the surface sediments of the Krossfjord-Kongsfjord system in the European Arctic have been assessed. The study found a high abundance of microplastics, particularly fibers, in the sediment samples, suggesting the influence of long-range transport and local inputs from anthropogenic activities as possible sources.