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Microplastics have been discovered in snow and stream water near the top of Mount Everest, according to new research.
Polyester, acrylic, nylon and polypropylene fibers were present in samples collected in the mountain and in the valley below.
Some were present in samples from the Balcón de Mount Everest which is 8,440 meters above sea level, representing the tallest recorded microplastics ever found on Earth.
Dr. Imogen Napper, lead author of the study, said: “Microplastics are generated by a number of sources and many aspects of our daily lives can lead to microplastics entering the environment.
The fibers could have been fragmented from large elements during expeditions to reach the top.
“Over the past few years, we have found microplastics in samples collected all over the planet, from the Arctic to our rivers and deep seas.
“With that in mind, finding microplastics near the top of Mount Everest is a timely reminder that we must do more to protect our environment.”
The study, published in the journal One Earth, was led by researchers from the University of Plymouth, who worked with colleagues from the UK, the US and Nepal.
Scientists say that the materials found are increasingly being used to make high-performance outdoor clothing commonly used by climbers, as well as the climbing tents and ropes used to attempt mountain climbing.
As a result, they suggest that the fibers could have been fragmented from larger elements during expeditions to reach the top.
But it’s also possible, the plastics could have been carried from lower altitudes by the extreme winds that regularly hit higher slopes of the mountain.
The samples were collected in April and May 2019 as part of National Geographic and Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition, and then analyzed at specialized facilities in Plymouth.
The samples were collected in April and May 2019.
They were taken along the hiking trails near the Khumbu glacier, in the snow at Everest base camp, and high up in the death zone near the top of the mountain.
The highest amounts (79 microplastic fibers per liter of snow) were found in Base Camp, where expeditions are based for periods of up to 40 days.
However, evidence was also found in Fields 1 and 2 on the climbing route, with 12 microplastic fibers per liter of snow recorded from the Balcón.
There were smaller amounts in the streams that run down the mountain into Sagarmatha National Park, which scientists suggest could be due to the continuous flow of water created by glaciers in the region.
