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Tracing the air–sea exchange of microplastics over the Caspian Sea
Summary
Researchers combined airborne microplastic sampling over the Caspian Sea with FLEXPART atmospheric dispersion modelling and particulate proxies to show that most airborne MPs during their campaign originated from inland sources such as road dust and textile fibres rather than marine sea spray, highlighting the significance of long-range terrestrial transport.
, indicating broadly balanced coastal transport during the 72 h campaign. To support source attribution, we evaluated co-trapped particulate proxies (sea salt and ash) and combined them with FLEXPART modelling. Trajectory modelling and proxy evidence indicate that most airborne MPs originated from inland sources (e.g., road dust and textile-related fibres), while marine sea-spray contributions were minor during the sampling period. These findings highlight the importance of long-range atmospheric transport in coastal MP pollution and demonstrate how integrating proxy observations with dispersion modelling can help constrain likely source regimes.