High-mountain lakes as indicators of microplastic pollution: current and future perspectives

Abstract

As a key component of mountain ecosystems, high-mountain lakes are recognized indicators of global change. In the analysis of the effects induced by local or global human activities, microplastic (MP) pollution is of critical environmental concern for mountain ecosystem compartments and for high-mountain lakes in particular. This minireview reports on current knowledge of MP occurrence, source, distribution, and characteristics in high-mountain lake ecosystems. The literature search returned only nine studies mainly from the Tibet plateau (China). Generally, the two most often investigated compartments were water and sediment, followed by snow and fish. Plastic particles were found as fragments and fibers of polypropylene and polyethylene, which are primarily utilized in food packaging and supplies brought by tourists and then discarded on site. Tourism and atmospheric long-range transport from lowlands were identified as the main sources of MP pollution. Precipitation events (snow and rain) were reported as key events in MP deposition and fallout. Further studies are needed to better understand the effects of MP pollution on aquatic food webs and ecosystem resources (e.g., drinking water) in these key ecosystems.

Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin Volume 32 Number 3 August 2023 89‐123

“…As such, fossil fuel combustion and expansion of agricultural activities aided by natural carriers (such as wind) have put increased stress on these remote ecosystems by more than one unit of magnitude compared to pre-Anthropocene background levels (Oleksy et al 2020). For example, high-mountain lakes which were earlier thought to be pristine and microplastic pollution free are now becoming an important sink for microplastic contaminants via the atmospheric deposition (Neelavannan et al 2022;Pastorino et al 2022). Both the biotic and social impacts will cause complex adaptive system shifts in the high-mountain lake systems similar to that which has been observed in lowland lakes (Lone et al 2020;Shah et al 2020;Carrier-Belleau et al 2022).…”

“…In the coming years, anthropogenically induced global warming and enhanced global climate variability is predicted to increasingly affect alpine environments (Parker et al 2008;Rose et al 2015). These natural and anthropogenic precursors (Fig.…”

“…These natural and anthropogenic precursors (Fig. 1) are expected to alter cryosphere functioning, allochthonous inputs to lakes systems (biological productivity), and summer water temperatures (thermal stratification) in high-altitude lake systems thereby affecting their biodiversity, functioning, and sustainability (Hauer et al 1997;Holzapfel and Vinebrooke 2005;Parker et al 2008;Loria et al 2020). Therefore, an improved understanding of the influence of climate variations on the structure, functioning, and dynamics (tipping points) of highmountain lakes is crucial to predict future sustainability and ecosystem management (Fig.…”

Microplastics in the Ecosystem: A Systematic Review of the Methods for Their Detection and Removal

“…Fibers released during the production of textiles and clothing made of synthetic materials [28] Toys, rubber, kitchen utensils, electrical wires, and interior paint [29] Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) particles in cosmetic and medical products [30] Textile fbers originating from clothing due to daily use or washing processes and released from textile manufacturing plants [31] Cosmetic formulations often contain industrially produced microspheres and plastic particles [28] It arises during the consumption and design of plastic products (for example, when plastic bottles degrade) or when macroplastics decompose into MPs [32] Product of the industrial shot-blasting process using microplastics as an abrasive agent [31] Te marketing and use of disposable plastics, focus on straws and plastic bags [33] Synthetic grass (turf ) on the football pitch [34] Material obtained from fshing nets [35] Release of drilling fuids from oil and gas exploration activities, as well as in industrial abrasive processes [34] LDP (low-density polyethylene) sheeting is commonly used in agriculture to maintain soil moisture, control weeds, and regulate temperature, a process known as plastic sheeting [34] and supraglacial [43] wastes and eventually becoming widely distributed causing damage to biotic systems by entering the food chain through direct or indirect consumption, and indirect consumption occurs when food is consumed which transports the MP particles to places further away from their point of origin [44].…”

Deep and Frozen: High‐Mountain Lakes as Sentinels of Regional Limnology and Global Environmental Changes

“…As such, fossil fuel combustion and expansion of agricultural activities aided by natural carriers (such as wind) have put increased stress on these remote ecosystems by more than one unit of magnitude compared to pre‐Anthropocene background levels (Oleksy et al 2020). For example, high‐mountain lakes which were earlier thought to be pristine and microplastic pollution free are now becoming an important sink for microplastic contaminants via the atmospheric deposition (Neelavannan et al 2022; Pastorino et al 2022). Both the biotic and social impacts will cause complex adaptive system shifts in the high‐mountain lake systems similar to that which has been observed in lowland lakes (Lone et al 2020; Shah et al 2020; Carrier‐Belleau et al 2022).…”