A group of scientists and explorers has found microplastics on Everest
There are some discoveries that raise awareness of the importance of radically transforming lifestyles and caring for the environment, especially with regard to plastic consumption or toxic components such as polyethylene, polypropylene or microspheres. The reduction or elimination of these synthetic compounds is vital for the preservation of the biodiversity of the planet , and the latest finding in this regard is perhaps one of the most worrying: an expedition has revealed the presence of microplastic contamination very close to the top of Mount Everest.
After a sample collection carried out between April and May 2019 by the "Perpetual Planet" Expedition, the study was published on November 20 in One Earth, a study carried out by researchers from the International Marine Debris Research Unit of the University of Plymouth and scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Nepal.
From a total of 19 samples collected by the researchers in the high-altitude region of the Mount Everest , 11 were from the snowpack at Everest Base Camp and the Death Zone near the summit, while the rest had been taken at waters of streams adjoining the hiking trails near the Khumbu Glacier.
Microplastics found at 8,440 meters above sea level
Their analysis has resulted in a high concentration of microplastics around base camp (79 microplastic fibers per liter of snow), where hikers usually stay for almost a total of forty days. But that was not all, because they have also found microplastics at 8,440 meters above sea level , very close to the top of Mount Everest, and in Camps 1 and 2 on the climbing route, with up to 12 microplastic fibers per liter of snow.
"The samples revealed significant amounts of polyester, acrylic, nylon and polypropylene fibers . Those materials are increasingly being used to make high-performance clothing worn by climbers, as well as tents and climbing ropes, so we suspect these types of items are the main source of contamination instead of other elements such as food and drink containers," says the Dr. Imogen Napper, study lead author and researcher, in One Earth publication.
Smaller amounts of microplastics have also been detected in mountain streams in the Sagarmatha National Park , and scientists argue that this would be a consequence of the continuous flow of water generated by the glaciers in the region. Another theory is that plastics could have drifted from lower altitudes by the extreme winds that regularly impact the highest slopes of the mountain.
"Microplastics have been discovered both in the depths of the ocean and on the highest mountain on Earth . With microplastics so ubiquitous in our environment, it's time to focus on providing environmentally sound solutions. We need to protect and care for our planet," emphasizes Imogen Napper.
The finding determines that we must protect and care for our planet
According to research in recent years, the presence of microplastics was recurrent in the oceans and in the Arctic . Until now, however, they have not been studied on land, especially on top of remote mountains, so swift action is needed to protect biodiversity and all species that may be affected by plastic waste.