Title
A new method for microplastic sampling and isolation in mountain glaciers: A case study of one antisana glacier, Ecuadorian Andes
Date Issued
01 September 2020
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Cabrera M.
Lucas-Solis O.
Calero J.L.
Maisincho L.
Conicelli B.
Massaine Moulatlet G.
Capparelli M.V.
Florida Institute of Technology
Publisher(s)
Elsevier Ltd
Abstract
Microplastic contamination has become ubiquitous in terrestrial and marine environments. Recent studies have shown that the wind can transport and deposit microplastics in high mountain ecosystems, but microplastic contamination therein is unknown. Because mountain glaciers are the primary source of drinking water for large urban areas in the Andes, assessing recent and historical microplastic contamination is crucial. Surface snow can indicate recent microplastic deposition, whereas glacial ice cores can provide information on historical contamination. At mountain glaciers, the inhospitable conditions and the difficult accessibility are limiting factors for sampling. Therefore, sampling and laboratory analytical methods have to be integrated and planned ensuring replicability. Here, we present 1) a new methodology to identify sampling areas within the accumulation zone of a glacier to obtain samples of surface snow and ice cores; 2) a less-manipulative analytical technique for the preparation and isolation of microplastics derived from glaciers. In addition, we identified the minimum amount of sample necessary to obtain robust data on contamination by microplastics.
Volume
2
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ingeniería ambiental y geológica
Biorremediación, Biotecnologías de diagnóstico en la gestión ambiental
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85097062357
Source
Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering
ISSN of the container
26660164
DOI of the container
10.1016/j.cscee.2020.100051
Source funding
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
French Institute of Research for Development-IRD
Bolivar Caceres
INAMHI
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Institution of Civil Engineers
European Commission
Institut national des sciences de l'Univers
Escuela Politécnica Nacional
Sponsor(s)
The authors are thankful to the crew of mountain climbers Carlos Alberto Paez, Luis Felipe Hualco, Orlando Vinicio Gutierres, Gustavo Adolfo Valarezo, Wilmer Guachamin, Luis Maisincho Guagrilla, Evelyn Michelle Yambay, Miltón Perez, Gladys Cabascango, Juan Carvajal Washington Chamorro, Yaryvic Coronel and the Ikiam driver Pablo Neris “Don Tito” Paz Andrade. This project was funded by European Union through the consortium AECID - Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam (CTC-004-2019, grant to BGV). We also acknowledge funding from the International Joint Laboratory GREAT- ICE , an initiative of the French Institute of Research for Development- IRD (leaders: Thomas Condom, IRD-France and Marcos Villacis, EPN, Quito Ecuador), French Glaciers Observatory Service-GLACIOCLIM (leader: Antoine Rabatel, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS-INSU, IRD, France) and INAMHI-Glacier Service (leader: Bolivar Caceres, INAMHI, Ecuador).
The authors are thankful to the crew of mountain climbers Carlos Alberto Paez, Luis Felipe Hualco, Orlando Vinicio Gutierres, Gustavo Adolfo Valarezo, Wilmer Guachamin, Luis Maisincho Guagrilla, Evelyn Michelle Yambay, Miltón Perez, Gladys Cabascango, Juan Carvajal Washington Chamorro, Yaryvic Coronel and the Ikiam driver Pablo Neris “Don Tito” Paz Andrade. This project was funded by European Union through the consortium AECID - Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam (CTC-004-2019, grant to BGV). We also acknowledge funding from the International Joint Laboratory GREAT-ICE, an initiative of the French Institute of Research for Development-IRD (leaders: Thomas Condom, IRD-France and Marcos Villacis, EPN, Quito Ecuador), French Glaciers Observatory Service-GLACIOCLIM (leader: Antoine Rabatel, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS-INSU, IRD, France) and INAMHI-Glacier Service (leader: Bolivar Caceres, INAMHI, Ecuador).
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus