Sønderborg, nestled between fjords and fields, has been abuzz with activity over the past two days as scientists, policymakers, and curious minds gathered for the Climate Conference. Among the many events, one workshop stood out for its depth—quite literally.
The PlastTrack Workshop opened its doors, inviting participants to explore the fate of plastics in the ocean. What followed was a cascade of revelations, with each speaker peeling back layers of complexity.
From Carbon to Creatures: A Journey Through the Deep
The morning began with Markus Schartau from GEOMAR, who took the audience on a voyage through the possibilities of carbon dioxide removal via ocean-based methods. He discussed the pros and cons of various techniques. The ocean, vast and mysterious, holds promise but also peril.
Next, Anja Engel, also from GEOMAR and a key partner of PlastTrack, shed light on the current state of plastic monitoring in our oceans. With over 1,900 monitoring stations already in place, one might think we have it covered. However, the devil is in the details. Most measurements are conducted at the surface or a single depth, leaving a blind spot for micro-scale particles and plastic diversity. It turns out that rivers are the main highways for plastic transport, and biofilms quickly cloak these particles, which can be found not just on the surface but at every depth in the ocean.
Jes Vollertsen from Aalborg University brought the conversation closer to home. His team has been measuring microplastics in Danish sediments, comparing ocean samples with soil from fertilized fields. The results? A mixed bag. Variability is high, and the concentration of plastics in fertilized fields rivals that of the ocean floor when sewage is used as fertilizer.
Next, Ronnie Glud from the Danish Centre for Hadal Research at SDU offered a rare glimpse into the deep-sea trenches. Far from being isolated, these trenches are connected to surface waters and serve as plastic graveyards, accumulating deposits over time. His images of deep-sea creatures thriving under crushing pressure were both haunting and humbling. Investigations revealed the uptake of plastics by these creatures.
Zooming In: Plastics at the Nano Scale
After lunch, the workshop shifted focus to the nanoscale realm of plastic pollution. Elvis Genbo Xu captivated the audience with his latest findings on how nanoplastics affect the development of different animal species. The implications of this research are significant, and anticipation for his upcoming publication is high.
Suman Paul from AttoCube followed with a presentation on cutting-edge instrumentation designed to make nanoscale measurements easier.
The baton was then passed to Marcus Johns, Bjarke Jensen, and Anja Engel, who shared preliminary results from the Alkor cruise conducted earlier this summer. Though their findings are still fresh, they already hint at new insights into the distribution and behavior of plastics in marine environments.
Finally, Jonathan Brewer closed the session with a deep dive into cell penetration experiments, simulating gut cells to observe their response to plastic nanoparticles. His work underscores the potential health risks posed by plastics small enough to breach biological barriers.
The PlastTrack Workshop was more than just a series of talks; it was a wake-up call. Each speaker contributed to a growing pool of knowledge. With upcoming publications on the horizon and new technologies in development, the fight against plastic pollution is gaining momentum.
The upper image shows from left: Jes Vollertsen, Ronnie Glud, Markus Schartau, Anja Engel and Jacek Fiutowski.