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Atmospheric Microplastics: Perspectives on Origin, Abundances, Ecological and Health Risks
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This review summarizes current knowledge about microplastics in the atmosphere, including their sources, how far they travel, and potential health effects from inhalation. Researchers found that airborne microplastics can carry toxic chemicals deep into the respiratory system and may contribute to respiratory problems and other health concerns. The study emphasizes that atmospheric microplastic pollution remains poorly understood due to a lack of standardized measurement methods.
Microplastic (MP) pollution has aroused a tremendous amount of public and scientific interest worldwide. MPs are found widely ranging from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems primarily due to the over-exploitation of plastic products and unscientific disposal of plastic waste. There is a large availability of scientific literature on MP pollution in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, especially the marine environments; however, only recently has greater scientific attention been focused on the presence of MPs in the air and its retrospective health implications. Besides, atmospheric transport has been reported to be an important pathway of transport of MPs to the pristine regions of the world. From a health perspective, existing studies suggest that airborne MPs are priority pollutant vectors, that may penetrate deep into the body through inhalation leading to adverse health impacts such as neurotoxicity, cancer, respiratory problems, cytotoxicity, and many more. However, their effects on indoor and outdoor air quality, and on human health are not yet clearly understood due to the lack of enough research studies on that and the non-availability of established scientific protocols for their characterization. This scientific review entails important information concerning the abundance of atmospheric MPs worldwide within the existing literature. A thorough comparison of existing sampling and analytical protocols has been presented. Besides, this review has unveiled the areas of scientific concern especially air quality monitoring which requires immediate attention, with the information gaps to be filled have been addressed.
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This review summarizes current knowledge about the distribution, sources, and fate of microplastics in the atmosphere, along with their potential toxic effects on animals and humans. Researchers identified significant gaps in both quantitative analysis methods and understanding of the mechanisms behind inhaled microplastic toxicity. The study calls for improved sampling and characterization techniques to better assess the health risks of airborne microplastic exposure.
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This review systematically summarizes the sources, distribution, and health implications of atmospheric microplastics in both indoor and outdoor air. The study highlights growing evidence that inhaled microplastics can enter the human body and pose potential risks to the respiratory system, while identifying key limitations and uncertainties in current exposure assessment methods.
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This review examines the emerging evidence on airborne microplastics, covering their sources, how they travel through the atmosphere, and how they enter the human respiratory system through inhalation. Researchers highlight potential health effects including pulmonary inflammation, oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption, with particle size influencing how deeply they penetrate into the lungs. The study calls for standardized measurement protocols and urgent interdisciplinary research to better understand the health risks of breathing in microplastic particles.
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This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on microplastic pollution in the atmosphere, covering sources, transport, deposition, and potential health effects of inhaled airborne microplastics. The authors note that initial research focused on marine environments but atmospheric microplastic pollution is a rapidly growing concern.
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