Arctic Adventures

Exciting news!! We have just returned from a research cruise to the Arctic!!!

About a year ago, Amy applied for funding from EUROFLEETS2 to piggyback a research cruise in polar waters near Svalbard to look at microplastics distribution. She was successful and awarded funding for herself and another person to join the PREPARED cruise, co-ordinated by Renata Lucchi from OGS, Trieste, Italy.

So on the 4^th of June we made our way to the R.V. G.O Sars, one of Norway’s Polar research vessels.

G.O. Sars (Photo: Renata Lucchi)

The aim of the PREPARED cruise was to survey the PREsent and PAst flow REgime on contourite Drifts wests of Spitsbergen. So this fitted nicely with our aims to look at microplastic distribution in relation to water currents.

The total scientist party consisted of 28 multi-national researchers and 3 technicians from Italy, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Russia, Netherlands, Brazil (Heidi!), Croatia and England (Amy!). This was a total of 12 institutions: OGS (National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics), CNR-ISMAR (National Research Centre –  Institute of Marine Sciences: Italy), Galway-Mayo Insinuate of Technology,  Alfred Wegener Institute, University of Gothenburg, The Arctic University of Norway, Institute of Marine Research Norway, Norwegian Polar Institute, University of Bergen, Pisa University, UNIS: the university centre in Svalbard, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences.

Group photo: (L-R) Gianmarco, Ekaterina, Ragnheid, Sam, Ardo, Jan Sverre, Ilona, Amy, Paolo, Giulia, Stefano, Simone, Mauro, Heidi, Davide, Eli Anne, Katrine, Magdalena, Valentina, Fedrica, Caterina, Dag, Karin, Leonardo, Lorenzo, Vedrana, Renata (Photo: Renata Lucchi)

 

During the cruise  “Team Plastic” consisted of Heidi, Amy and Valentina (from OGS, Italy). We collected samples from underway sampling, box cores and using a manta net. Sampling was conducted over 24 hour period and we worked shifts in rotation. Working at night did not really matter, after all, this far north it was 24 hour sunlight. As we got closer to the coast we were treated to some stunning views of midnight sun over Svalbard. There was a bit of spare time for some posing in the sun!

Throughout the cruise sediment samples were collected, and CTDs taken as well as a including a 20+ metre Calipso core, you can read more here at Giulia’s blog. She was taking part as a Teacher at Sea and has documented the cruise in lots of detail. Definitely have a look if you get the chance.

“Ice Manta” taking it’s first dip in polar waters (Photo: Giulia Realdon)

Heidi cleaning up after our most disgusting plankton tow nicknamed “whale vomit” (Photo: Amy Lusher)

Data entry time!! (Photo: Renata Lucchi)

As well as our sampling, we were lucky enough to see several species of marine mammals: dolphins, whales, and plenty of bird species: Fin whales, minke whales, sperm whales, humpback whales, unidentified dolphin (high dorsal fin, black curved back…possible orca….just sayin’…..), guillemots, Arctic fulmars, puffins, arctic terns, arctic skua, glaucous gull and little auks.  We have to say special thanks for the stunning photos some of other researchers took. Here are just a few of the species we saw.

Arctic Fulmar (Photo: Sam Fredriksson)

Puffins (Photo: Sam Fredriksson)

Humpback whale (Photo: Sam Fredriksson)

Guillemot(Photo: Ardo Robijn)

Sperm whale (Photo: Renata Lucchi)

Guess the dolphin….(Photo: Renata Lucchi)

As a treat, our Chief Scientists decided to take the vessel into Hornsund. It was a beautiful evening and we had a lovely time sitting on the deck of the vessel watching whales and dolphins, there were even rumors of a polar bear climbing seen in the distance 🙂

Evening visit to Hornsund Fjord (Photo: Giulia Realdon)

We really enjoyed our time in the Arctic, we met some brilliant researchers and it was a great experience. Hopefully we can go back and repeat the sampling in the future. Time to get on with analysing our samples!!!

Obligatory Arctic Selfie! (Photo: Amy Lusher)

Microbeads in cosmetics: how your daily routine could be contributing to microplastics into the sea

Microplastics are incorporated into lots of everyday products, from face cleaners to toothpastes but many consumers are unaware of their presence. A large number of people use face scrubs, body washes and toothpastes, that contain microbeads. Microbeads are used as abrasive scrubbers to enhance the performance of cosmetics.

 

Could this be our vulnerability to advertising, or simply a lack of knowledge of the contents of products we use in our day-to-day lives?

The use of microplastic in cosmetics is a relatively new idea. Microbeads were only really introduced from the middle of the last decade as a cheaper alternative to natural scrubbers.

So what are the benefits of plastic to our skin? Nothing. According to dermatologists, by scrubbing our skin, most people are doing more harm than good. We are technically scrubbing away the boundary layer of our skin. Even though they are a common form of exfoliation, scrubs are physical irritants, yes you can clean away dead skin cells, but if used to often, or too vigorously, you can make your skin over sensitive.

For more information check out Dermascope:

Back to plastics: Plastics are being used in more and more consumer products and this change in consumer habits is having environmental consequences.

Let’s take an example: my housemate brought an apparently really good body scrub, it contains beads that exfoliate your skin, leaving it shiny, and overtime it is supposed to reduce breakouts. I turned the package over to reveal the contents, many of the chemicals in the scrub would help reduce breakouts, but the scrub, polyethylene beads has other effects.

Microplastic beads abrasively scrub your skin, to open pores and remove dirt build up. BUT they are made of plastic. This begs the question, why would anyone want to scrub their body with plastic? You could just as well use a rope to scrub your back and face!

I digress, after their use microplastics are washed straight down the drain, out of sight and out of mind. But these tiny pieces of plastic are just beginning their journey.

Day to day use of microplastic scrubbers means they are being washed away down our rains at alarming rates, and where do they end up…the ocean of course. Ranging in size from 0.1 to around 0.5 mm, these tiny and buoyant plastics are not filtered out by sewage treatment works, and will make their way, with clean sewage into river systems, and ultimately end up in the oceans.

Once in the sea, they can float in areas where large number of marine organism feed, suggesting there is a high possibility that they are ingested by marine life and are likely to enter the food chain.

Microplastics are everywhere, even found in the great lakes of America. The alarming occurrence of these microscopic beads has led to a campaign to ban the microbead

http://beatthemicrobead.org/en/

Initiated by: Plastic Soup Foundation & Stichting De Noordzee, an app has been created that allows the consumer to look up the ingredients of products to find out if it contains plastics. Download the app , select your country and scan the product barcode with a smartphone. The app reads the barcode, and indicates using a traffic light system, whether microplastics are present. You can also check the product list online .

•  Red: contains microbeads
• Orange: contains microbeads but manufactures has indicated it will replace or adopt product accordingly
• Green: free from microplastics

Major cosmetic companies have said they will phase out the use of microplastics, for example LUSH has already remove microplastics from all products. Body shop is also leading the way to be microbead free by the end of 2014.

So here is my suggestion to you, take a look at the links on this page and find out if any of the products you use contain microplastics, you can even use  this app to scan barcodes. Let’s all phase out and stop our use of microplastics, to reduce our impact on the marine environment. Why not use alternatives, like apricot rind, cocoa beads or oatmeal soap?  They smell delicious.

 

 Published by Amy Lusher