Airborne Microplastics and its Impact to Environmental Health

Airborne microplastics (MPs), defined as small plastic particles suspended in the atmosphere, pose a growing threat to environmental and human health. Their ability to travel long distances through air currents enables widespread contamination across both natural and urban environments. Major sources include the fragmentation of larger plastic debris, abrasion of synthetic textiles during washing, and degradation of household and industrial materials. Increasing evidence suggests that inhalation of airborne MPs may contribute to respiratory disorders, particularly among vulnerable populations. Understanding their sources, transport pathways, and toxicological effects is therefore essential for developing effective mitigation strategies. This review compiles and compares recent findings on the occurrence, characteristics, and environmental behaviour of airborne microplastics, alongside their interactions with other environmental compartments. It further highlights potential implications for human exposure, ecological impacts, and the need for standardized analytical and monitoring approaches. Moreover, there is increasing global concern that airborne microplastics may affect atmospheric transport and deposition dynamics and pose risks to human health through their transfer along food chains. By identifying current knowledge gaps and proposing directions for future research, this work aims to support a more comprehensive understanding of airborne microplastic pollution and its environmental health risks.