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Quantification and characterization of airborne microplastics in the coastal area of Terengganu, Malaysia
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Researchers measured airborne microplastics in a coastal city in Malaysia and found an average of about 5,476 particles per square meter per day, with fibers making up over 99% of what was collected. Heavy metals like aluminum and cadmium were found attached to the surface of these airborne particles. The study shows that people in coastal areas are breathing in microplastics that may also carry toxic metals, raising concerns about the combined health effects of inhaling contaminated plastic particles.
Microplastics (MPs) pose a threat to ecosystems due to their capacity to bind with toxic chemicals. While the occurrence of MPs in aquatic environmental matrices like water, sediments, and biota is well studied, their presence in the atmosphere remains less understood. This study aimed to determine the presence of airborne MPs and their characteristics through ground-based sampling in the coastal city of Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia. Airborne MP samples were collected using passive sampling technique in December 2019. MPs were manually counted and identified using a stereomicroscope based on their colour and shape. The average deposition rate of airborne MPs during the sampling period was 5476 ± 3796 particles/m/day, ranging from 576 to 15,562 particles/m/day. Various colours such as transparent (38%), blue (25%), black (20%), red (13%), and others (4%) were observed. The predominant shape of airborne MPs was fibres (> 99%). The morphology structure of MPs observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed a cracked surface on MPs, suggesting weathering and irregular fragmentation. Further elemental analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed the presence of heavy metals such as aluminium (Al) and cadmium (Cd) on the surface of MPs, attributed to the adsorption capacities of MPs. Polymer types of airborne MPs were analysed using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), which revealed particles composed of polyester (PES), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP). The preliminary findings could provide additional information for further investigations of MPs, especially in the atmosphere, to better understand their sources and potential human exposure.
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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.
Assessing the concentration, distribution and characteristics of suspended microplastics in the Malaysian indoor environment
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Researchers measured airborne microplastic levels inside offices, classrooms, apartments, and homes across Malaysia over six weeks. Microplastics were found in every indoor environment tested, with fibers being the most common type, and people in homes were estimated to inhale more microplastics daily than those in offices or classrooms. The findings highlight that indoor air is a significant and often overlooked source of microplastic exposure for people.
Assessing the impact of marine litter hotspot on atmospheric microplastics: A study of a coastal village
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Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations near a marine litter hotspot in a coastal village in Taiwan and found an average of 1.35 particles per cubic meter of air, with the highest levels in spring. The study provides evidence that accumulated marine litter on coastlines can serve as a source of atmospheric microplastics, potentially affecting air quality in nearby communities.
Airborne Microplastics in Indoor and Outdoor Environments at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Campus
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Researchers collected airborne microplastic samples from indoor and outdoor environments at a Malaysian university campus, finding microplastics present in all locations with higher concentrations indoors and fiber morphologies predominating, suggesting occupants are continually exposed via inhalation.
Quantification and characterization of airborne microplastics and their possible hazards: a case study from an urban sprawl in eastern India
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Researchers measured airborne microplastic deposition in Malda City, India, and found daily deposition rates of 122 to 387 particles per square meter. The most common types were polyethylene, PVC, and PET fragments and films, mostly very small (50 to 100 micrometers). The study found that human activity and commercial areas were the main drivers of microplastic distribution, and that these airborne particles pose ecological risks when they settle into soil and water.
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