Researchers at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand collected fresh snow samples from 19 sites on Ross Island in Antarctica and found that each snow sample contained microplastics . The researchers found that each liter of melted snow contained an average of 29 microplastics. They also identified 13 different types of plastic, the most common of which is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is mainly used in soft drink bottles and clothing. The researchers found the plastic in 79 percent of snowfall samples. Previous studies have found microplastic pollution in Antarctic sea ice and surface waters, but this is the first report of microplastics in Antarctic snowfall.
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