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Environmental Sources
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Vertical distribution and transport of microplastics in the urban atmosphere: New insights from field observations
The Science of The Total Environment2023
28 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 55
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Zhen Yuan,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Zhen Yuan,
Zhen Yuan,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Minggang Cai
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Minggang Cai
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Shan Liu,
Zhen Yuan,
Chenglei Pei,
Chenglei Pei,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Chenglei Pei,
Chenglei Pei,
Chenglei Pei,
Shan Liu,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Shan Liu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Zhen Yuan,
Lang Lin,
Rui Hou,
Rui Hou,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Zhen Yuan,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Chenglei Pei,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Heng-Xiang Li,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Shan Liu,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Rui Hou,
Rui Hou,
Rui Hou,
Rui Hou,
Rui Hou,
Rui Hou,
Zhen Yuan,
Shan Liu,
Shan Liu,
Shan Liu,
Shan Liu,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Lang Lin,
Rui Hou,
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Shan Liu,
Minggang Cai
Shan Liu,
Zhen Yuan,
Shan Liu,
Kai Zhang,
Shan Liu,
Shan Liu,
Rui Hou,
Shan Liu,
Shan Liu,
Lang Lin,
Minggang Cai
Rui Hou,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Rui Hou,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Rui Hou,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Zhen Yuan,
Minggang Cai
Zhen Yuan,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Kai Zhang,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Rui Hou,
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Heng-Xiang Li,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Lang Lin,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Kai Zhang,
Kai Zhang,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Kai Zhang,
Minggang Cai
Kai Zhang,
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Xiang‐Rong Xu,
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Minggang Cai
Summary
Researchers conducted field observations of airborne microplastics at four different heights in Guangzhou, China, from ground level up to 488 meters on the Canton Tower. They found that microplastic concentrations decreased with altitude but were still present at the highest sampling point, suggesting that these particles can travel through the atmosphere over long distances. The study provides the first detailed vertical profile of atmospheric microplastics in an urban setting, offering new insights into how these particles are transported through the air.
The distribution and transport of atmospheric microplastics (AMPs) have raised concerns regarding their potential effects on the environment and human health. Although previous studies have reported the presence of AMPs at ground level, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of their vertical distribution in urban environments. To gain insight into the vertical profile of AMPs, field observations were conducted at four different heights (ground level, 118 m, 168 m and 488 m) of the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China. Results showed that the profiles of AMPs and other air pollutants had similar layer distribution patterns, although their concentrations differed. The majority of AMPs were composed of polyethylene terephthalate and rayon fibers ranging from 30 to 50 μm. As a result of atmospheric thermodynamics, AMPs generated at ground level were only partially transported upward, leading to a decrease in their abundance with increasing altitude. The study found that the stable atmospheric stability and lower wind speed between 118 m and 168 m resulted in the formation of a fine layer where AMPs tended to accumulate instead of being transported upward. This study for the first time delineated the vertical profile of AMPs within the atmospheric boundary layer, providing valuable data for understanding the environmental fate of AMPs.