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Atmospheric microplastics deposition in a central Indian city: Distribution, characteristics and seasonal variations
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Researchers measured airborne microplastic fallout in the Indian city of Nagpur and found 213 to 543 particles per square meter per day raining down from the sky, mostly tiny fibers from textiles. Children's estimated inhalation exposure was nearly double that of adults relative to body weight, raising particular health concerns about microplastic exposure through the air we breathe.
Atmospheric microplastics (AMPs) transport and deposition in urban areas contribute to microplastics pollution. The present study investigates AMPs deposition, characteristics, potential sources, and the influence of meteorological factors in a central Indian city. AMPs were collected over three land-use types, viz. institutional, commercial, and industrial areas, during four seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, and winter. The deposition flux of microplastics ranged from 212.53 ± 52.32 to 543.25 ± 71.23 particles/m/day. The AMPs were predominantly fibres (87.84 %), followed by films (5.43 %), with particle size <1000 μm contributed 43.67 %. The predominant polymer types identified were polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 37.39 %), nylon (20.49 %), and polypropylene (PP, 10.27 %). Higher deposition fluxes were recorded in summer, with 491.06 ± 73.37 particles/m/day. Correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between rainfall and AMPs deposition, suggesting a potential cleaning role of rainfall. The estimated annual deposition flux of AMPs in Nagpur city was 3.22 × 10 particles. Higher AMPs deposition was attributed to plastic waste littering, industrial emissions, and textiles. The estimated mean annual inhalation exposures of AMPs of size 50-250 μm for children and adults were 7375.84 ± 1312.89 and 3738.17 ± 665.39 MPs/kg-bw/year, respectively. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the fate of AMPs and its implications for human exposure. The findings underscore the importance of reducing and managing plastic waste.
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