Devon scientific exploration team to go to Antarctica

The team of eight will face severe weather conditions and each have to pull sleds containing 100kg in supplies and equipment

A scientific exploration expedition team is heading to Antarctica to collect samples that will help research how far microplastics travel.

The Devon team will leave in December and mark 100 years since Sir Ernest Shackleton set out on his final quest.

The veterans and serving military personnel will be taken by the Royal Navy's icebreaker, HMS Protector.

They hope to take samples from remote parts of the continent and pull sleds more than 300km (186 miles).

Lieutenant Commander Paul Hart, who is leading the expedition, said they will undertake scientific research to help understand how humans are impacting the Antarctic with a special focus on climate change.

"As a minimum it will be 300km but this will be over mountainous terrain," he said.

Paul Hart is leading the expedition

The project, is being run in collaboration with Dr Imogen Napper of the University of Plymouth, who said: "Understanding exactly how far microplastics can travel is the next big scientific question and their presence in snow taken from the peninsula will show they are reaching every part of our planet, even those areas cut off from any human activity."

The expedition is inspired by one of Britain's most widely known expedition leaders, Sir Ernest Shackleton.

Shackleton set sail from Plymouth in September 1921 aboard the MV Quest, bound for Antarctica and his own scientific expedition.

It was after arriving at South Georgia, and before he could begin his science work, that he suffered a heart attack and died onboard the Quest.

They will be collecting snow samples looking at how far microplastics travel

The expedition team will mark the date of his death with a service on the Antarctic ice on 5 January.

The eight person team, led by Mr Hart, have experience in the polar regions.

They expect to deal with extremely hazardous and challenging conditions whilst hauling loads in excess of 100kg across mountainous terrain.

Among the team are; Lieutenant Commander Kate Retallick, part of HMS Protector's crew, and Devon-based polar veteran, Antony Jinman.

They plan to include an educational outreach programme for schools and colleges to educate, inform and inspire young people about science and Antarctica.

For the expedition to go ahead they have had to start crowdfunding to cover the costs.

The expedition team will depart the UK in December 2021 and return in February 2022.