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Preliminary assessment of airborne microplastics: a case study of Bandung City, Indonesia
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Researchers found tiny plastic particles floating in the air of Bandung, Indonesia, mostly tiny fragments of polyethylene (a common plastic). Since these particles are small enough to be breathed in, and their shape affects how deep they travel into our lungs, this research helps scientists better understand the potential health risks of breathing city air in fast-growing tropical urban areas.
Despite the growing concern surrounding airborne microplastics (AMPs), their size-dependent behavior in tropical urban environments remains poorly understood. This study provides a preliminary assessment of the concentration, polymer composition, morphology, and size-segregated aerodynamic distribution of AMPs in Bandung, Indonesia. Size-segregated aerosols collected during the rainy season were analyzed using a micro-Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection imaging approach. The mean AMP concentration was 6.81 particles m⁻³, with polyethylene accounting for 93.6% of identified particles, and AMPs detected across all size fractions. A discrepancy was observed between physical particle size (maximum Feret diameter) and aerodynamic classification, as many particles exceeded the nominal cut-off diameters of their sampling stages, indicating the influence of particle shape and density on aerodynamic behavior. Morphological analysis showed that fragments dominated (89%), suggesting that secondary fragmentation is the primary formation pathway of AMPs in the study area. These findings highlight the critical importance of integrating size-segregated aerodynamic sampling with morphological and chemical characterization to assess the atmospheric transport and potential human health risks of AMPs in tropical urban environments.
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Atmospheric Microplastic Particulate Matter in an Urban Roadside: Case of Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia
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Researchers sampled airborne microplastics at four locations across Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia, including industrial zones, residential neighborhoods, busy roads, and the city center. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from 0.002 to 0.02 particles per cubic meter of air, with fibrous shapes and PET plastic most common. Industrial areas had the highest total particulate levels, and northern parts of the city appear to be a likely source of airborne microplastics carried by traffic. This study adds to growing evidence that city dwellers are breathing in microplastics simply from the air around them.
Abundances, Characteristics, and Health Risk Assessment of Airborne Microplastics in the Urban Area: A Case Study of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Scientists found tiny plastic particles floating in the air of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with higher amounts during certain weather seasons. These microplastics are small enough to get deep into our lungs when we breathe, and adults face higher health risks than children because they breathe in more air. This research shows that people living in busy cities may be regularly breathing in plastic pollution, but more studies are needed to understand the long-term health effects.
Atmospheric Microplastic Particulate in Urban Roadside: Case of Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia
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Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia, finding fibrous particles — mostly PET — present at all sampling locations including residential areas and city centers, not just industrial zones. The detection of microplastics in the ambient air at meaningful concentrations adds to the growing body of evidence that people in urban environments are continuously inhaling microplastic fibers, regardless of proximity to obvious industrial sources.
Identification of fibrous suspended atmospheric microplastics in Bandung Metropolitan Area, Indonesia
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Researchers identified fibrous atmospheric microplastics in total suspended particulates across commercial and residential areas of the Bandung Metropolitan Area, Indonesia, finding that urban commercial zones contained higher concentrations of airborne microplastic fibers than suburban residential areas.
Breathing plastics in Metro Manila, Philippines: Presence of suspended atmospheric microplastics in ambient air
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Researchers detected suspended atmospheric microplastics in ambient air samples from 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines, confirming that urban air in Southeast Asia contains respirable plastic particles and raising concern about inhalation exposure among dense urban populations.
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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.