Microplastics Contamination in Sediment, Water, Snow/Ice, Fish and Seals of the Canadian Arctic: 2020-2021

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.

本研究旨在探明加拿大北极地区大气、水体、沉积物及鱼类中微塑料（microplastics, MP）的存在情况、含量与类型。微塑料颗粒会与海洋生物的食物源混合，海洋生物在觅食过程中可能会意外或主动摄入此类颗粒。为减轻微塑料对生态系统的负面影响，探明水生环境中微塑料的来源、归趋与影响，以及此类污染物对北极原住民健康与传统生活方式的危害，至关重要。相较于温带地区的相关研究，极地微塑料调查仍较为匮乏，因此本研究计划采集积雪、冰体、水体、沉积物及鱼类样本，以明确加拿大北极生态系统的微塑料污染程度。本研究将与北部污染物计划（Northern Contaminants Program）及北极网络（ArcticNet）合作，依托多艘加拿大海岸警卫队船只，在加拿大北极群岛全域（包括哈德逊湾与波弗特海）开展样本采集工作。