Nanoplastics Found on Alpine Glaciers: UFZ Study Highlights Widespread Pollution

February 13, 2025 – Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) found nanoplastic particles on Alpine glaciers above an altitude of 3,000 meters. In a study published in Scientific Reports, it highlights the ubiquity of nanoplastic pollution and its implications for environmental and human health.

Nanoplastics: An Emerging Environmental Concern
Nanoplastics, or pieces of plastic less than one micrometer in size, are principally the result of weathering large pieces of plastic through mechanisms including oxidation, hydrolysis, and mechanical wear. Since nanoplastics are too small to be visible and light enough to weigh, they are transported by wind currents across huge distances before landing in distant and pristine places.

While microplastics have particular problems, nanoplastics have particular problems. Because they are extremely small, they can filter through natural filtration systems, and humans and animals can inhale or ingest them. In the human body, nanoplastics can filter through cellular membranes and into the bloodstream, causing negative health consequences.

Citizen Science: Mountaineers as Data Collectors
To quantify the prevalence of nanoplastics in the alpine environment, UFZ researchers partnered with mountain climbers to extract samples from glaciers at high altitude. Citizen science allowed them to reach remote areas that are difficult to access.

The samples were thoroughly tested in the lab for quantifying and detecting nanoplastic particles. The test results showed critical amounts of nanoplastics, even in such remote alpine areas, exposing the widespread extent of plastic pollution.

Implications for Environmental and Human Health
Their potential effect on the environment and human beings is now a concern with the recent finding of nanoplastics in glaciers at high altitudes. Upon melting of the glaciers, the particles may end up in freshwater systems, thereby influencing water quality and aquatic organisms. Additionally, because nanoplastics have also been found in the atmosphere, they are suspended in the air and can be inhaled by human beings, with potential possible health effects yet to be established.

This research lays greater stress on the execution of in-depth studies for the actualization of the source, modes of transportation, and consequences of nanoplastics. It also alludes to the significance of reduction of plastic wastes and its consequences on the environment globally.

Source: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) Press Release