We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Occurrence and backtracking of microplastic mass loads including tire wear particles in northern Atlantic air
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used active air sampling devices during a research cruise along the Norwegian coast to the Arctic to measure microplastic mass loads in the marine atmosphere, including tire wear particles, analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. They found microplastics were omnipresent even in remote Arctic sampling areas, with polyethylene terephthalate ubiquitous and tire wear particles reaching up to 35 ng/m3, and atmospheric transport models indicating both sea-based and land-based emission sources.
The pollution of microplastics (MP), including tire wear particles (TWP), in the marine atmosphere is receiving increasing attention, with more studies documenting their occurrence. However, there are knowledge gaps regarding mass-quantitative data and transport ways of MP in the marine atmosphere. In this study, we present two different active air sampling devices (low-volume and high-volume samplers) to evaluate the MP loads in the marine atmosphere. Samples were collected during a research cruise along the Norwegian coast up to Bear Island. During sampling and in the lab, operational and lab blanks were taken, and secondary contamination was thoroughly documented and implemented into this study. Air samples and blanks were analyzed with pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, generating a mass-based data set of MP including TWP in the marine atmosphere. The study revealed an omnipresence of these pollutants, even in rather remote, arctic sampling areas. The polyethylene terephthalate cluster (max. 1.5 ng m‑3) was ubiquitous. TWP (max. 35 ng m‑3) and clusters of polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyurethane (max. 1.1 ng m‑3) were also detected. Two different atmospheric transport and dispersion models were applied to determine the origin of sampled air masses. These models suggested the introduction of MP into the marine atmosphere equally from sea (e.g., marine traffic, sea spray)- and land-based emissions. Hence, transforming the ocean from a previously assumed exclusive sink into a source for MP. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/557010/document
More Papers Like This
Occurrence and backtracking of microplastic mass loads including tire wear particles in northern Atlantic air
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists measured airborne microplastic concentrations, including tire wear particles, in the atmosphere over the Norwegian coast and Arctic waters using specialized air sampling devices. They detected microplastics even in remote Arctic locations, with tire wear particles being the most abundant type found. Atmospheric transport modeling suggested these particles enter the marine atmosphere from both land and sea sources, indicating that airborne transport is a significant pathway for microplastic pollution reaching remote ocean regions.
Occurrence and backtracking of microplastic mass loads including tire wear particles in northern Atlantic air
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic mass loads — including tire wear particles — in the marine atmosphere during a research cruise along the Norwegian coast to Bear Island, using both low-volume and high-volume active air samplers while applying rigorous contamination controls to quantify microplastic transport in the northern Atlantic air.
Airborne microplastics on the move: Urban Europe as a source to remote regions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured airborne microplastics at both urban and remote sites across Norway and found that tire wear particles dominated urban air pollution, with seasonal peaks during the switch to winter tires. Microplastics were also detected at remote locations far from cities, confirming that these particles undergo long-range atmospheric transport from urban source regions across Europe.
Airborne microplastic particles detected in the remote marine atmosphere
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers detected airborne microplastic particles — including polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene — in aerosol samples collected over the remote North Atlantic Ocean far from land. Back trajectory analysis and matching polymer types in both air and seawater suggest the ocean surface itself is a source of airborne microplastics, with true particle counts likely higher than detected since only particles above 5 micrometers were analyzed.
Comparison of Atmospheric Microplastic in remote and urban locations in Norway; occurrence, composition and sources
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers deployed passive and active air samplers at two remote Norwegian monitoring stations — Ny-Alesund in Svalbard and Birkenes in mainland Norway — as well as three Norwegian cities in 2022 and 2023 to compare atmospheric microplastic occurrence, composition, and potential sources between urban and remote environments. They found rubber from car tires and nylon dominated most samples, with deposition samples yielding more than 10 times higher concentrations than active samples, and remote Arctic samples lower than urban sites, with styrene-butadiene rubber indicating the significant role of tire wear particles.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.