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Atmospheric deposition of microparticles on the seasonally-touristed island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, US
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Scientists collected air samples on Nantucket Island for a year and found tiny plastic particles (mostly fibers) raining down from the atmosphere everywhere, even in this seemingly pristine coastal spot, and levels rose by 50% during the busy tourist season. This matters because it shows these airborne microplastics are essentially inescapable, drifting even to remote islands, which means we're likely breathing them in no matter where we live or vacation.
Major sources of atmospheric microplastic originate from human activities (e.g. construction, driving, laundry, and agriculture dust), along with sea-spray. Due to their small size (< 5 mm), they are easily transported long distances, being found in both urban and remote environments. This research examines the atmospheric deposition of microparticles on a seasonally-touristed island. Nantucket Island, USA, is a unique study site due to its proximity to ocean-atmospheric exchanges and its high influx of seasonal visitors. Atmospheric microparticles were collected at two contrasting sites and analyzed for amount and type from October 2021 to September 2022. Samples were collected each month and processed, counted, and measured. Microparticle flux ranged from 4.6 to 62.2 mp/m2/d and were composed mostly of fibers, > 75 μm. The Hatchery site had an average and s.d. of 28.2 ± 13.3 mp/m2/d and the Station site had an average and s.d. of 15.7 ± 8.2 mp/m2/d. Concentrations during the tourist months were 1.5 times greater than the non-tourist months.
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Researchers tracked airborne microplastics in a city over a full year and found an average of 302 particles per square meter per day falling from the sky, with people potentially inhaling up to 12,777 particles per year. The microplastics came from sources up to 1,750 kilometers away, including traffic, industry, and textiles. This study highlights that breathing is a significant route of microplastic exposure for humans, even for people living far from obvious pollution sources.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.