CSI for the Ocean: Arctic and Subarctic 2024

National Geographic Explorer/Visiting Scientist Rachael Miller, along with enthusiastic guests, field staff, and crew on board the National Geographic Endurance, collected samples from the air and surface waters along a fascinating Arctic and subarctic expedition track in order to investigate the presence (or absence) of microplastic and man-made microfiber pollution.

Our goal is to better understand microplastic and man-made microfiber pollution - where it is and what the “it” precisely is so that it can be prevented. A growing body of evidence indicates that microplastics, microfibers in particular, pose a real threat to creatures throughout the marine food web. These particles are present in the air, water, sediment and soil and their tiny size (less than 5mm in all dimensions) makes them easy to ingest and inhale for creatures of all sizes.

• Inflammation
• Food dilution (e.g. little plankton bellies filled with textile fibers instead of food)
• Behavior changes
• Mortality

Further research shows the presence of microplastics throughout the human body (including hearts, lungs, guts, blood, testicles and brains) via ingestion and inhalation, with studies published this year indicating associations between the presence of microplastics and severe illness.

• A disrupted gut microbiome/digestive issues were correlated with microplastics in the human digestive tract ( Pinto-Rodrigues, Science News  March 23, 2023,  Nissen et al. Environment International , 2024)
• Microplastics in testis indicated a potential of reduced fertility ( Hu et al. Toxicological Sciences, 2024 )
• Microplastics in arterial plaque increased chance of stroke or heart attack ( R. Marfella et al. New England Journal of Medicine, 2024 )

Add to this growing body of knowledge the fact that everyone who wears and launders clothing is inadvertently involved in this pollution and the result is a rapidly growing urgency to address microplastic and microfiber pollution. Our expedition data, in populated as well as remote parts of the planet, are already pointing to actionable information while indicating solutions and opportunities for innovation. But to be most effective, we need to learn more. Join us as we share the experiences and results from the mountainous fjords of northwest Norway, the beaches and cliffs of the Shetland Islands, the striking green and rock landscape of the Faroe Islands and the puffins, whales, lupin, volcanoes and waterfalls of Iceland! Note: We recommend using a tablet, laptop or desktop monitor for the best viewing experience.

To consider sources, we assigned every man-made particle to a numbered category based on multiple features (such as type, color, width, shape and material). Each category represents a potential source (such as a t-shirt, jacket, carpet, fishing line, etc.).

The particles we found fell into 319 distinct microparticle categories. There were 9 categories with more than one and 50 categories with only one man-made microparticle. The ratio of categories to sample locations for the air was 0.82. This indicates that we did not experience anything close to a single or point source situation but rather multiple, diffuse sources. This is a similar ratio to what we saw in the Arctic and Southern Ocean in 2023.

In contrast, the ratio of categories to sample locations for the water samples was 0.62, which is closer to what we have seen in locations with more population, such as the Hudson River (pending review) and even  Hawai'i . This is a possible indication of nearer sources and therefore more particles in each category.

The width of a human hair is approximately 70 micrometers (µm, a millionth of a meter). As a general rule, fibers from clothing are within the 5-19.9 µm range. Fibers from carpets are usually larger than 35 µm and fibers from fishing lines are even bigger in diameter. Thus, it is most likely that a large majority of the fibers we found in the air and water along this expedition track are fragmented from clothing (Fig. 1). This fiber fragmentation can happen when clothing is worn, washed and/or dried.

Colonization by seaborne microscopic creatures or plants, also called biofouling, is evidence of a particle having been in the environment long enough for this growth to take place. We do not have the ability to estimate the amount of time these fragments have been in the water (that would be an excellent additional study), but this colonization does help us understand that particular particles have been in the water for sometime and/or may have come from far away.

52.3% of all particles of interest, or 589 total microparticles, were contamination contributed by our team while sampling or in the ambient air where the samples were processed onboard. This percentage may seem high and would be if we were doing our processing in a lab. However, this contamination percentage is a great improvement from previous expeditions on the Endurance where contamination was as much as 90% of all particles of interest. Considering our public sample processing location intended to encourage curious and lively engagement, it is relatively unsurprising and we were ready. With rigorous attention to detail, we are confident that any fiber with a similar profile as those found in our air blank controls was excluded from being recorded as environmental pollution.

In addition to comparing similar expedition tracks and opposite poles (see our  Arctic  2023 StoryMap), future research in the same or similar locations but at different times of the year would produce insights into seasonal differences. Investigating microparticle fluctuations that could be influenced by weather, the presence or absence of sea ice, and changes in human activities like fishing effort and tourism would also be impactful follow-up research. Of particular interest based on the results of this expedition would be a study aiming to determine if colonization/biofouling can indicate how long a particle has been in the water and if its original can be estimated based on these growths.

Solutions for microplastic and microfiber pollution need to take place long before the debris gets to this incredible and incredibly important part of the world. As you just learned, we primarily found microfiber pollution from fiber fragmentation in the arctic and subarctic. In fact, that is what we primarily find worldwide. We can all take action - as individuals, as innovators, as decision-makers and as policy-makers. If the list below seems like a lot, start with one item, incorporate it into your life, and then add another. These small actions will all add up to big impact!

 Click here  for more information about Sustainable Laundry

In combination, these actions can result in the immediate reduction of microfiber pollution while supporting the development of long-term innovative solutions, which will, in turn, protect the spectacular creatures that call these special places home.

While the communities along this expedition track are by no means highly populated, there are more people, more ships, more industry and more recreation than along the other expedition tracks we sampled with NG-LEX. And we saw a corresponding increase in concentrations of micropollution in both the air and the water.

This expedition's findings call for action from stakeholders around the globe to make a positive change - from governments and corporations to individuals at home and exploring in nature!

Are you a researcher, looking for a meaningful, impactful, and solutions-oriented capstone, thesis, or other project? See our  Future Study  page for a list of questions whose answers will speed the creation and deployment of solutions!

Arctic 2023 National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions on the National Geographic Endurance StoryMap:  bit.ly/CSIfortheOceanArcticNorway2023 

Southern Ocean 2023 National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions on the National Geographic Endurance StoryMap:  bit.ly/CSIfortheOceanSouthernOcean2023 

Hawaii 2022 National Geographic and Ocean Exploration Trust Expedition on the E/V Nautilus StoryMap:  bit.ly/CSIfortheOceanHawaii2022 

Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean CSI for the Ocean homepage  https://www.rozaliaproject.org/csi-for-the-ocean 

Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean Microplastic Lesson Plans for formal and informal educators  https://www.rozaliaproject.org/resources  Microfiber Primer for more background information about microfiber pollution  https://coraball.com./blogs/ocean-protectors-blog/the-microfiber-pollution-primer 

The data collected on this expedition is available for free public examination and additional analysis. Please contact us at micro@rozaliaproject.org with inquiries.