Microplastics have light-absorbing ability to enhance cryospheric melting

Abstract

Microplastics are posing the potential threats to the Earth's environment. Besides, airborne microplastics were calculated to cause positive net radiative forcing recently. Due to the light-absorbing properties, microplastics may have the effects on the snow/ice surface albedos in the cryospheric regions, which may further enhance the cryospheric melting under the rapid global warming and increasing plastic pollutants dropped into the environments. We suggested to urgently hasten the systematic studies on microplastics' effects on the radiative forcing across the cryospheric regions, and evaluated the possible impact on cryospheric melting in the future.

Keywords

• Microplastic pollution
• Cryosphere
• Climate change
• Radiative forcing