Microplastic Contamination Found in Arctic Ice Algae

Melosira arctica, a critical organism in the Arctic Ocean food chain, is now heavily contaminated with microplastics, with an average of 31,000 plastic particles per cubic meter found in the algae. The microplastics could harm the algae and interfere with photosynthesis and growth, as well as contaminate the food chain and interfere with carbon sequestration. As the Arctic warms and human activities increase, the problem is likely to worsen.