Plant-Based Biomonitoring of Airborne Microplastics: A Systematic Review

Summary

Tiny plastic particles floating in the air we breathe are becoming a bigger concern, but tracking them with current equipment is expensive and doesn't cover much ground. This review pulls together existing studies to show that plants, like leaves and moss, can act as natural air filters that trap these microplastics, making them a cheap, low-tech way to monitor pollution over time and across wider areas. Better tracking of airborne microplastics matters because it's a first step toward understanding how much of this pollution we're actually exposed to and what it might mean for our health.