Transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastic particles by a North Atlantic hurricane

Anna C. Ryan; Deonie Allen; Steve Allen; Vittorio Maselli; Amber LeBlanc; Liam Kelleher; Stefan Krause; Tony R. Walker; Mark Cohen

doi:10.1038/s43247-023-01115-7

Transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastic particles by a North Atlantic hurricane

Anna C. Ryan^*, Deonie Allen, Steve Allen, Vittorio Maselli^*, Amber LeBlanc, Liam Kelleher, Stefan Krause, Tony R. Walker, Mark Cohen

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

The atmosphere can transport large quantities of microplastics and disperse them throughout the globe to locations inaccessible by many other transport mechanisms. Meteorological events have been proven to pick up and transport particulate matter, however, how they influence the transport and deposition of atmospheric microplastics is still poorly understood. Here we present samples of atmospheric fallout collected during Hurricane Larry as it passed over Newfoundland, Canada in September 2021. During the storm peak, 1.13 × 10⁵ particles m⁻² day⁻¹were deposited, with a decline in deposition after the storm passed. Back-trajectory modelling and polymer type analysis indicate that those microplastics may have been ocean-sourced as the hurricane traversed the garbage patch of the North Atlantic Gyre. This study identifies the influence of North Atlantic hurricanes on the atmospheric transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastics and the possible consequences of increased exposure to microplastics in remote areas.

Original language	English
Article number	442
Journal	Communications Earth and Environment
Volume	4
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-01115-7
Publication status	Published - 28 Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgments:
We wish to thank Guang Yang, Facility Manager at the Dalhousie Cosmogenic Isotope Lab, for her support in preparing the rapid-response field campaign. This work was enabled by the funding provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Grant RGPIN-2020–04461 to V.M., Grant RGPIN-2018–04119 to T.R.W., Ocean Frontier Institute iPDF to V.M. and T.R.W., Leverhulme Trust Grant ECF-2019–306 and Carnegie Trust grant RIG009318 to D.A.

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Cite this

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title = "Transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastic particles by a North Atlantic hurricane",

abstract = "The atmosphere can transport large quantities of microplastics and disperse them throughout the globe to locations inaccessible by many other transport mechanisms. Meteorological events have been proven to pick up and transport particulate matter, however, how they influence the transport and deposition of atmospheric microplastics is still poorly understood. Here we present samples of atmospheric fallout collected during Hurricane Larry as it passed over Newfoundland, Canada in September 2021. During the storm peak, 1.13 × 105 particles m−2 day−1 were deposited, with a decline in deposition after the storm passed. Back-trajectory modelling and polymer type analysis indicate that those microplastics may have been ocean-sourced as the hurricane traversed the garbage patch of the North Atlantic Gyre. This study identifies the influence of North Atlantic hurricanes on the atmospheric transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastics and the possible consequences of increased exposure to microplastics in remote areas.",

author = "Ryan, {Anna C.} and Deonie Allen and Steve Allen and Vittorio Maselli and Amber LeBlanc and Liam Kelleher and Stefan Krause and Walker, {Tony R.} and Mark Cohen",

note = "Acknowledgments: We wish to thank Guang Yang, Facility Manager at the Dalhousie Cosmogenic Isotope Lab, for her support in preparing the rapid-response field campaign. This work was enabled by the funding provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Grant RGPIN-2020–04461 to V.M., Grant RGPIN-2018–04119 to T.R.W., Ocean Frontier Institute iPDF to V.M. and T.R.W., Leverhulme Trust Grant ECF-2019–306 and Carnegie Trust grant RIG009318 to D.A.",

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doi = "10.1038/s43247-023-01115-7",

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AU - Ryan, Anna C.

AU - Allen, Deonie

AU - Allen, Steve

AU - Maselli, Vittorio

AU - LeBlanc, Amber

AU - Kelleher, Liam

AU - Krause, Stefan

AU - Walker, Tony R.

AU - Cohen, Mark

N1 - Acknowledgments: We wish to thank Guang Yang, Facility Manager at the Dalhousie Cosmogenic Isotope Lab, for her support in preparing the rapid-response field campaign. This work was enabled by the funding provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Grant RGPIN-2020–04461 to V.M., Grant RGPIN-2018–04119 to T.R.W., Ocean Frontier Institute iPDF to V.M. and T.R.W., Leverhulme Trust Grant ECF-2019–306 and Carnegie Trust grant RIG009318 to D.A.

PY - 2023/11/28

Y1 - 2023/11/28

N2 - The atmosphere can transport large quantities of microplastics and disperse them throughout the globe to locations inaccessible by many other transport mechanisms. Meteorological events have been proven to pick up and transport particulate matter, however, how they influence the transport and deposition of atmospheric microplastics is still poorly understood. Here we present samples of atmospheric fallout collected during Hurricane Larry as it passed over Newfoundland, Canada in September 2021. During the storm peak, 1.13 × 105 particles m−2 day−1 were deposited, with a decline in deposition after the storm passed. Back-trajectory modelling and polymer type analysis indicate that those microplastics may have been ocean-sourced as the hurricane traversed the garbage patch of the North Atlantic Gyre. This study identifies the influence of North Atlantic hurricanes on the atmospheric transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastics and the possible consequences of increased exposure to microplastics in remote areas.

AB - The atmosphere can transport large quantities of microplastics and disperse them throughout the globe to locations inaccessible by many other transport mechanisms. Meteorological events have been proven to pick up and transport particulate matter, however, how they influence the transport and deposition of atmospheric microplastics is still poorly understood. Here we present samples of atmospheric fallout collected during Hurricane Larry as it passed over Newfoundland, Canada in September 2021. During the storm peak, 1.13 × 105 particles m−2 day−1 were deposited, with a decline in deposition after the storm passed. Back-trajectory modelling and polymer type analysis indicate that those microplastics may have been ocean-sourced as the hurricane traversed the garbage patch of the North Atlantic Gyre. This study identifies the influence of North Atlantic hurricanes on the atmospheric transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastics and the possible consequences of increased exposure to microplastics in remote areas.

U2 - 10.1038/s43247-023-01115-7

DO - 10.1038/s43247-023-01115-7

M3 - Article

SN - 2662-4435

VL - 4

JO - Communications Earth and Environment

JF - Communications Earth and Environment

IS - 1

M1 - 442

ER -

Transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastic particles by a North Atlantic hurricane

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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