UC Riverside scientists find microplastics in remote Sierra Nevada snow
UC Riverside researchers measured microplastic pollution in seven remote Sierra Nevada locations during recent snowstorms.
Remote sites show plastic presence
Lead researcher Aleksandra Karapetrova could not reach the collection points by car or on foot. She expected to find little or no plastic in areas far from human activity, but samples contained significant amounts at every site. One location required access via chairlift while others demanded skiing to reach them.
Snowpack supplies California water
The Sierra Nevada snowpack provides approximately 30 percent of the state's fresh water supply. Details regarding particle characteristics and verification methods appear in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. The study notes that snow scavenges airborne plastic from the atmosphere and deposits it on the ground.
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