From Ice to Ocean: Investigating anthropogenic nanoparticle Pathways in the Arctic
As a CNRS researcher based at the Takuvik International Laboratory (Université Laval/CNRS) in Quebec, my work centers on the detection, characterization, and fate of anthropogenic nanoparticles and nanoplastics in Arctic environments. This research investigates how incidental nanoparticles, and associated contaminants circulate along the land-ocean continuum, particularly in glacier meltwaters and high-latitude marine ecosystems. In this talk, I will present recent advances in analytical strategies for Arctic nanometrology, including microfluidic tools, field-deployable filtration systems, and trace analysis techniques. These tools are applied in remote field campaigns across North Pole, Greenland, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and the St. Lawrence River to reveal how anthropogenic nanoparticles interact with natural organic colloids, microbial communities, and metal contaminants under extreme climatic and environmental gradients. Our team has conducted several field campaigns at the geographic North Pole, where the presence of nanoplastics was confirmed even in the most remote sea ice and surface waters, highlighting the global reach of this new form of pollution. We are also developing sensor systems for real-time, continuous monitoring of these contaminants in northern aquatic ecosystems, aiming to provide long-term data relevant to environmental and public health. Beyond methodological innovations, this work contributes to a growing interdisciplinary effort to understand the ecological and biogeochemical implications of emerging contaminants in polar regions. It also addresses the disproportionate exposure of Indigenous communities in the North, who rely on these vulnerable ecosystems for subsistence and cultural practices. This research reflects the broader scientific value of embedding French research efforts within international, Arctic-based infrastructures.