The Clean Arctic — East — 77 Russian expedition is the largest in terms of participant numbers among all high-latitude expeditions in the history of Northern exploration. The research groups covered over 12,000 km across 19 Russian regions to collect relevant scientific data. In mid-December, at the TASS press centre, scientists presented the findings of ecologists, ichthyologists, water pollution experts, and volunteers in the Barents Sea basin.

Currently, one of the most pressing issues of the World Ocean, particularly the Arctic Ocean, is the contamination of Arctic waters with microplastics. Maxim Tokarev, a water pollution expert, states that countries along the Gulf Stream, often referred to as the 'garbage truck' in scientific circles, play a dominant role in this process. The USA, Canada, Iceland, the UK, and the EU countries — their practices of dumping plastic waste into the world's oceans, intensive fishing, and disregard for responsible environmental management lead to severe consequences, but not for them. The Gulf Stream, with currents reaching several meters per second in some areas, carries plastic to its final destination — the Barents Sea.

He cited Freshkills, the largest landfill on the U.S. East Coast located just south of New York City on the seashore, as an example.

Microplastics are plastic particles that range in size from 5 mm to 1 micron or less. They are used in the manufacturing industry as a stabilizer, viscosity regulator, emulsifier, or antistatic and can also form from the degradation of large plastic waste. This type of microplastic originates from common items like bags and cups that break down due to sunlight, microorganisms, various thermo-oxidative reactions, and hydrolysis. The end result is extremely lightweight particles that can infiltrate virtually everywhere. Scientists have discovered them in the river and sea water, as well as in animal and plant tissues. For instance, during the expedition, it was noted that up to 3 pieces of microplastic, each up to 3 mm in size, were found in 80% of the stomachs of Atlantic cod in the Barents Sea. Previously, scientists recorded the presence of microplastics in plankton, indicating that the pollution is moving down the food chain of marine organisms. Currently, mussels and oysters are believed to be the creatures most laden with microplastics.

Meanwhile, microplastics in the human body can lead to serious intestinal diseases, affect the liver, and even trigger the formation of tumours. Elkhana Ryabova, a participant in the 2023 expedition and a candidate of geographical sciences, stressed that this topic is still being explored. There are currently no studies that demonstrate the full spectrum of effects that microplastics have on the human body over an extended period. However, the knowledge we have now is already enough to cause concern. Scientists believe that the pollution of Arctic waters with microplastics could pose a real threat to both the health of Arctic coastal inhabitants and the entire ecosystem as a whole.

At present, Russian scientists are preparing several appeals to the international community and Russian law enforcement and regulatory bodies. The de facto use of Russian waters as a global microplastic dump does not comply with any international agreements. Interestingly, Russia is not the only country affected by this — Norway is also in the same situation, but all attempts to communicate with the Western neighbour have so far been ignored. Meanwhile, tightening the 1972 London Convention against industrial waste dumping at sea within the international community could significantly reduce the influx of new microplastics into global waters.