Combining citizen and conventional science for microplastics monitoring in the White Sea basin (Russian Arctic)

Ershova, Alexandra; Makeeva, Irina; Malgina, Evgeniya; Sobolev, Nikita; Smolokurov, Artem

Combining citizen and conventional science for microplastics monitoring in the White Sea basin (Russian Arctic)

2021

Ershova, Alexandra | Makeeva, Irina | Malgina, Evgeniya | Sobolev, Nikita | Smolokurov, Artem

The study presents the results of the field expedition in the Russian Arctic held by a group of NGO members, scientists and volunteers in summer-autumn 2020 in the Arkhangelsk Region (Russia). The survey showed microplastics presence in 7 out of 13 remote and sparsely inhabited locations in lakes, rivers and coastal areas of the White Sea basin, with microplastic particle average concentration 1.14 part/m³, that is in agreement with other recent regional studies. Mostly PE, PET and PVC were found. A simple, cheap and easy-to-use microplastics monitoring protocol was developed and tested to be used by volunteers in remote Arctic communities. Video-lectures and tutorials are available online in an open-aсcess mode. 200 volunteers from polar communities are trained in microplastic sampling and litter separation, learning about microplastic pollution, including local residents, schoolchildren and students.

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