Microplastic transport through the ocean-atmosphere interface with implications into marine life and climate

The atmosphere has helped transport microplastics across the globe, from the tops of mountains to the remote snowpacks of Antarctica. Yet there is still uncertainty to how microplastics get into the air in the first place. This study will investigate the relationship between microplastics in the marine environment and the atmosphere, helping to uncover the sources of plastic pollution in Aotearoa New Zealand. Using a highly sophisticated mass spectrometry technique, this study will also provide much needed chemical information on the plastics and plastic additives in our air and sea, data that can be used to better understand the impacts of plastic pollution on environmental health.

About the researcher

Nadia Dikareva