Plastics in Upper Vicdessos - Bridging the gapS for a better understanding of atmospheric microplastics in mountain environments (PVC#2)
Abstract
The PVC plastic project investigates microplastic deposition in the upper Vicdessos region. Initial studies used peat and lake archives to identify microplastics in the Arbu catchment, alongside findings of large microplastics in trout, sediments, and biofilms in other Pyrenees valley. We sought to establish a 10-year atmospheric chronology of microplastics using pollen traps in the Bassies upper valley. However, the pollen traps proved unsuitable for microplastic monitoring. Despite this, chemical analysis of the pollen traps revealed stable dust concentrations over a decade, providing valuable long-term environmental insights. Further investigations in Margenat's PhD project identified mosses and lichens as promising bioindicators for microplastic deposition, including from local sources like tourism. These findings underscore the importance of diverse bioindicators in understanding microplastic distribution across atmospheric, aquatic, and terrestrial systems.