Antarctica research reveals deep-sea carbon fixation and nanoplastic soil pollution

Recent scientific studies in Antarctica have revealed significant findings regarding the continent's role in the global carbon cycle and the extent of human-driven pollution.

Research conducted by CNR-IRBIM and OGS in the Ross Sea has discovered that microorganisms living in deep waters (between 200 and 2,000 meters) actively fix dissolved inorganic carbon, even in total darkness. This process, driven by nitrifying archaea and bacteria, is estimated to account for approximately 5% of the annual CO2 sink in the Ross Sea. This finding suggests that deep-sea microbial activity is a more significant component of the ocean carbon budget than previously accounted for in global models.

Simultaneously, an international team including the University of Verona has identified the presence of nanoplastics in the permafrost of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Analysis of soil samples revealed particles ranging from 20 nanometers to one micrometer, including polypropylene, polyethylene, and tire wear particles. The contamination was found in the top 20 cm of soil in over half of the analyzed sites, with some concentrations reaching 300 nanograms per gram. Researchers suggest these pollutants reach such remote areas through both local human activity and long-range atmospheric transport.