Microplastics Contamination in Sediment, Water, Snow/Ice and Fish of the Canadian Arctic, 2019

To determine the occurrence, amounts and types of microplastics in Canadian Arctic air, water, sediment and fish. Microplastic (MP) particles are mixed with the food sources of marine organisms and could be accidentally or deliberately ingested during foraging. To mitigate ecological impacts, it is essential to understand the sources, fate and consequences of MPs in the aquatic environment and the impacts of these contaminants on the health and traditional lifestyles of Northerners. Studies of MPs in polar regions are rare compared to temperate region examples, and thus we propose to sample snow, ice, water, sediment and fish to determine the extent of contamination of the Canadian Arctic ecosystem. In collaboration with the Northern Contaminants Program and ArcticNet we will sample throughout the Canadian Archipelago, including Hudson Bay and the Beaufort Sea from on board several Canadian Coast Guard ships.