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Airborne microplastics in urban, rural and wildland environments on the Tibetan Plateau
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Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations across urban, rural, and remote wildland sites on the Tibetan Plateau and found microplastics present at all locations, even in pristine high-altitude environments. Urban areas had the highest concentrations, but the presence of microplastics in remote wilderness areas demonstrates long-range atmospheric transport. The study provides some of the first data on airborne microplastic pollution in one of the world's most isolated high-mountain regions.
The concentration of airborne microplastics is largely unknown in the remote high mountain area of the Tibetan Plateau. Here we report airborne microplastic concentrations of 2.5-58.8 n/m in urban, rural and wildland areas across the Tibetan Plateau, with smaller (∼89% <100 µm) fragments (>80%) dominating. Polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polyamide and polystyrene were the dominant polymers of airborne microplastics on the Tibetan Plateau. Distribution of airborne microplastics was positively correlated with anthropogenic activity indices, such as population density and nighttime light intensity. Although the contribution of long-range atmospheric transport is valid, dispersed villages also appear to be a source of airborne microplastics for wildland areas across the Tibetan Plateau.
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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.