A systematic review of sources and pathways of microplastics at higher altitudes in glaciated environments

Microplastics have been detected in various parts of cryosphere ecosystems, including snow, hail, sea ice, glaciers, and permafrost. This widespread presence highlights the need to understand their sources and pathways in these sensitive environments. Therefore, this review summarizes the sources and transport of microplastics and the current state of microplastics in the glaciated environment, utilizing the bibliometric method and visual analysis using the PRISMA framework. The study revealed that the global atmospheric transport of microplastics plays a crucial role in contaminating glaciated environments. Additionally, the findings of this review suggest that the presence of microplastics in high-mountain ecosystems may be attributed to deposition via atmospheric precipitation. The findings of the bibliometric analysis suggest that the number of published papers on microplastics in the glaciated environment has grown exponentially, with the USA, UK, and China being the leading research countries. The number of publications produced from China and the United Kingdom accounts for about half (50 %) of all publications from the top 10 countries. Zhang Y, Kang S, and Wang X were highly influential authors in microplastic research in glaciated environments. Additionally, a bibliometric analysis revealed that the percentage of literature addressing microplastics and glaciers in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) increased throughout the study period. The observation suggests that the existing body of literature makes a significant contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) and Climate Action (SDG 13).