Scientists have discovered microplastics in the body of Antarctica's only insect

An international team of scientists led by researchers from the University of Kentucky has discovered that Antarctica's only native insect is already consuming microplastics, despite living in one of the most isolated regions of the planet. This was reported on February 16 by Science Daily magazine.

The results were the first study on the effect of microplastics on an Antarctic insect, as well as the first confirmation of the presence of plastic particles inside wild midges. The project began in 2020, when graduate student Jack Devlin became interested in the problem of plastic pollution. The study focused on the species Belgica antarctica, which is a flightless midge the size of a grain of rice. It is the southernmost insect on the planet and the only species found exclusively in Antarctica.

It is specified that the larvae live in moist mosses and algae on the Antarctic Peninsula, where their density can reach 40 thousand individuals per square meter. By feeding on decaying plants, they recycle nutrients and support the soil ecosystem. According to Devlin, these are the so-called polyextremophiles, which tolerate severe cold, drought, high salt content, sudden temperature changes and ultraviolet radiation well.

Although Antarctica is considered an untouched wilderness area, plastic fragments have previously been found in fresh snow and seawater. Plastic gets there with ocean currents, wind, and through the activities of research stations and ships.

To understand how exposure to plastic can affect insects, scientists exposed them to microplastics in laboratory experiments. Devlin clarified that even at the highest concentrations of plastic, survival rates did not decrease. At the same time, the basic metabolism has not changed either. At first glance, there was nothing wrong with them.

Go to waste: AI will help clean the Arctic seas of debris

How the new technology will help save the region from plastic pollution

However, a deeper analysis showed a hidden effect: the larvae exposed to plastic had reduced fat reserves, while the level of proteins and carbohydrates remained stable. Fat is critically important for energy storage in the harsh Antarctic climate. The experiment lasted 10 days, and scientists note that long-term studies are needed to assess the effects of chronic exposure.

The second part of the work was devoted to the analysis of wild larvae. In 2023, scientists collected samples from 20 sites on 13 islands off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Using modern imaging techniques that can detect particles up to four micrometers in size, the researchers found two fragments of microplastic in 40 analyzed larvae.

"The level of plastic in Antarctica is still much lower than in most regions of the planet, and this is good news. Our study shows that microplastics currently do not fill these soil communities. But now we can say that it enters the system and, at sufficiently high concentrations, begins to change the energy balance of insects," said Devlin.

Midges have no terrestrial predators, so plastic is unlikely to spread through the food chain. However, scientists are concerned about possible long-term impacts, especially given climate change and warming. In the future, the researchers plan to monitor the level of microplastics in Antarctic soils and conduct longer experiments.

On February 3, Science Daily reported the discovery of large amounts of microplastics in fish living in remote areas of the Pacific Ocean. It was clarified that microplastics contain about a third of the total number of fish in Pacific island countries. The highest rate was recorded in the Fiji region.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.