Polar Impact Factor
Marine debris was counted on two Arctic beaches in the Russian Far East. On the north coast of the Chukchi Peninsula east of Kolyuchin Bay, a beach stretch of ca. 2.4 km held a total of 736 items, 0.024 items m‑2, while no more than 0.0011 items m‑2, 12 items in total, were found on a beach stretch of ca. 1.2 km on southern Wrangel Island. The likely explanation for this difference is that the area around the mainland beach is ice-free for a longer period each year, but a contributing factor may be that late spring ice movement removed plastic from the beach on Wrangel Island. The language on the few items with identifiable labels was for the most part Russian or English, making the Chukchi Sea a possible source region. Beaches at the same latitude in the Atlantic may hold more debris on account of the higher human population density, more shipping and transport of floating debris unhindered by a narrow strait that is ice-covered much of the year.
Fishing gear blown across the tundra is suggested as a potential threat to reindeer and other terrestrial wildlife. Interest in the occurrence and possible negative effects of plastics in the marine
environment dates back at least to the early 1970s. Although some studies on various aspects of contamination with debris and microplastics did appear in the intervening years , it was not until the 21st century that interest in the problems caused by marine debris and microplastics was realized more widely. Plastic debris causes socio-economic impacts and affects marine animals. Plastic entangles large and small animals, is ingested by them, facilitates dispersion of non-native
species and contains toxic compounds that find their way into organisms. Floating and sunken debris affects
fishing and tourism, blocks water intakes and—especially discarded, floating nets—causes navigational hazards. Because of their long half-life, plastics and other debris in the
environment are expected to constitute an
environmental problem for hundreds of years.
High Impact List of Articles
Relevant Topics in Clinical