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Reduced global atmospheric microplastic emissions from size-harmonized observations
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Researchers compared computer model estimates of airborne microplastic particles with real-world measurements, after correcting for differences in how particle sizes were counted. After this correction, global atmospheric microplastic emissions were estimated at about 12 thousand tonnes per year, much lower than earlier estimates, with more coming from land than oceans.
Abstract High-fidelity models are essential to constrain the role of the atmosphere in the global cycle of microplastics (MPs), including emissions, atmospheric transport, and deposition. Inconsistencies in the representation of MP particle size distribution (PSD) has blocked progress in the ability to understand the atmospheric lifecycle of MP. Observations report MP number concentrations and deposition across varying size ranges, while models simulate discrete and often small MP size ranges. As a result, data comparisons generally fail to account for mismatches in PSDs. In this study, we address these challenges using a top-down framework by size-harmonizing observational and modeled data and integrating observed PSDs in MP emissions. Our results reveal global atmospheric MP emissions of about 12 Gg yr − 1 over the 0.1–100 µm particle size range, a 27-fold reduction compared to previous global GEOS-Chem estimates due to physically consistent comparisons between observations and the model. Land emissions (8.7 Gg yr − 1 ) are higher than oceanic emissions (3.5 Gg yr − 1 ), but both are lower than prior top-down estimates. This work bridges the gap between top-down and bottom-up MP emissions estimates, converging on substantially lower MP emissions from both oceans and land.
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Scientists found that when they properly accounted for differences in how studies measure tiny plastic particle sizes, global estimates of airborne microplastics turned out lower than previously thought. This matters because it means earlier estimates of how much plastic we might be breathing in may have been overstated, though microplastics in air remain an area worth watching for health effects.
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Researchers compiled a comprehensive atmospheric microplastic dataset and derived top-down and bottom-up emission estimates for particles in the 5-100 micrometer size range from both land and ocean sources, providing gridded emissions data in multiple formats for use in atmospheric transport modelling.
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This study used atmospheric modeling to estimate the global distribution of airborne microplastics, finding that land-based sources like roads, agriculture, and cities contribute far more to atmospheric microplastics than ocean emissions. The model, validated against real-world observations, suggests that ocean contributions are about 10,000 times lower than previously estimated. Understanding where airborne microplastics come from is important because inhalation is a major route of human exposure.
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