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Mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubbers in urban air
Summary
Researchers measured mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubber particles in urban ambient air, providing quantitative data for inhalation exposure assessment. Tire wear rubber dominated the airborne particle mass in traffic-influenced areas, exceeding concentrations of synthetic polymer microplastics.
Environmental micro- and nanoplastic contamination is a global emerging issue. The research of plastic pollution has focused on aquatic environment and soils, but quantitative studies on airborne micro- and nanoplastic pollution are scarce. Micro- and nanoplastic pollution in ambient air is a growing concern for the environment as well as human health, as airborne micro- and nanoparticles are continuously inhaled. This study sheds light on airborne micro- and nanoplastics (MNP) and tire wear rubbers (TWR). In this study, most prevalent MNPs and TWRs were quantified in urban PM2.5 and PM10 samples that were collected to quartz fiber filters with a sampling flow rate of 38.3 l min-1. Samplings were conducted near Helsinki city center next to a six-lane street averaging at 28 000 vehicles per day (2015), of which approximately 10 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/558514/document
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