SW 3.101: Microplastic contamination of the Indian Himalayan cryosphere

Microplastics (MPs) have recently been reported to have reached cryospheric regions including the High Asia raising concerns about their potential impact on climate, snow, and glacier melt. While few research groups have shown the inclination to assess the MP contamination and its impact of cryospheric reserves, no concerted effort has yet been taken up. The MP contamination of snow and glaciers in India has not yet been investigated owing to a host of reasons like clarity in sampling protocols, lack of facilities, remoteness of glaciers, and attitudes of research groups to jointly collaborate. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of MPs in the cryosphere, focusing on their distribution, sources, transport mechanisms, and potential ecological consequences. Furthermore, we discuss various sampling methodologies, extraction protocols, and identification techniques currently used in cryosphere-related studies globally. Additionally, the emerging issue of MP pollution in the Indian Himalayan glaciers, its potential impact and the necessity of studying MP contamination shall be discussed. We highlight the future scope of research based on the current knowledge gaps for a better understanding of MPs pollution in glacial environments.