Low numbers of large microplastics on environmentally-protected Antarctic beaches reveals no widespread contamination: insights into beach sedimentary dynamics

MIRANDA, CAIK O. DE; SCHAEFER, CARLOS ERNESTO G.R.; SOUZA, JOSÉ JOÃO L.L. DE; GUIMARÃES, LUCIANO M.; MAIA, PAULO VICTOR S.; SUL, JULIANA A. IVAR DO

doi:10.1590/0001-3765202320230283

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GEOSCIENCES • An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc. 95 (suppl 3) • 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202320230283 linkcopy

Low numbers of large microplastics on environmentally-protected Antarctic beaches reveals no widespread contamination: insights into beach sedimentary dynamics

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Microplastics are ubiquitous contaminants of marine ecosystems around the world and Antarctica is no exception. Microplastics can be influenced by sedimentary dynamics mainly on coastal areas where they are more abundant in Antarctica. This study evaluated microplastic contamination in beach environments from two Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, aiming to identify relationships between microplastic numbers and sedimentological parameters on beach sediments. Low numbers of microplastics were found (> 0.5 mm; fibers excluded) – one particle per sample in 4 of 15 samples analyzed – and there is no evidence of widespread contamination. Sedimentological parameters reveal differences between sampled environments, but low numbers of microplastics impaired statistical comparison. All sediment samples are coarse, denoting highenergy depositional environments that are likely little susceptible to microplastic accumulation. Microplastic contamination in the Antarctic coastal ecosystem is heterogeneous, and their detailed characterization assisted by a systematization of methods can improve the understanding of microplastics distribution patterns in the cold coastal ecosystem.

Key words
Antarctic Specially Protected Areas; raman spectroscopy; sedimentary dynamics; South Shetlands Islands; stranded plastics

Transect ID (Composite sample)	Coordinates of central point	Sampling description
ASPA 128
D1	21E 423589 3099012	Transect on the foreshore zone over a single strandline (n=5). Points are 15 m apart.
D2 (1), (2)	21E 423033 3099281	Transect on the foreshore zone over the high (1, n=3) and low strandline (2, n=3). Points are 25 m apart.
D3	21E 424886 3102562	Transect on the foreshore zone over a single strandline (n=5). Points are 40 m apart.
D4 (1), (2), (3)	21E 425155 3101011	Transect on the foreshore zone over the high (1, n=3) and low strandline (2, n=3), and on the backshore zone, over the raised beach (3, n=3). Points are 40 m apart.
D5 (1), (2)	21E 424658 3099566	Transect on the foreshore zone over a single strandline (1, n=3), and the backshore zone over the raised beach (2, n=3). Points are 70 m apart.
Ac1	-	Areas occupied by Mirounga leonina and Arctocephalus gazella (single samples A1, A3, A6, A7)
Ac2	-	Areas occupied by penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) (single samples A2, A5, A8).
ASPA 126
B1 (1), (2)	20E 601929 3054267	Transect on the foreshore zone over the strandline, on a beach facing the Drake Passage. Points are 10 m apart. Samples collected at depth of 0-5 cm (1, n=5) and 5-15 cm (2, n=5).
B2 (1), (2)	20E 599573 3050927	Transect on the foreshore zone over the strandline, on a beach facing the Bransfield Strait. Points are 10 m apart. Samples collected at depth of 0-5 cm (1, n=5) and 5-15 cm (2, n=5).

Sampling environment Composite samples	Mean	Median	Sorting	Skewness	Kurtosis	Particle density
	φ	φ	φ			g cm ^-3
Single strandline D1, D3, D5(1)	-0.41_a (0.50)	0.06_a (0.59)	1.59_b (0.07)	-0.31_a (0.31)	0.90_a (0.33)	2.81_a (0.02)
High strandline D2(1), D4(1)	-0.70_a (0.14)	-0.12_a (0.51)	1.79_a (0.07)	-0.16_a (0.52)	0.54_a (0.35)	2.63_ab (0.10)
Low strandline D2(2), D4(2)	-0.24_a (1.20)	0.19_a (1.40)	1.47_b (0.19)	-0.44_a (0.15)	1.27_a (0.58)	2.60_b (0.23)
Backshore D4(3), D5(2)	0.40_a (0.10)	0.20_a (0.05)	2.00_a (0.39)	0.15_a (0.07)	0.98_a (0.02)	2.46_b (0.11)

ASPA 128 D1, D2(1) D2(2), D3, D4(1), D4(2), D5(1)	-0.41 (0.56)	0.06 (0.66)	1.58* (0.18)	-0.31 (0.29)	0.93 (0.42)	2.69 (0.14)
ASPA 126 B1(1), B2(1)	0.40 (0.72)	0.60 (0.77)	1.27* (0.05)	-0.45 (0.15)	1.95 (0.76)	2.80 (0.20)

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[tfnII] / Means with the same letter belong to the same group (Kruskal-Wallis, α = 0.10). Asterisked means represent a significant difference (Mann-Whitney, α = 0.10).