We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Characteristics, sources and influencing factors of atmospheric deposition of microplastics in three different ecosystems of Beijing, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition across forest, agricultural, and residential ecosystems in Beijing, finding that residential areas had the highest deposition fluxes, with PET and rayon fibers being the dominant types.
As the research on microplastics (MPs) has intensified, more attention has been paid to MPs deposition in the atmosphere. This study further explores and compares the characteristics, the possible sources and influencing factors of deposition of MPs in three different ecosystems: forest, agricultural and residential area in Beijing. It was found that the deposited plastics were mostly white or black fibres, with PET and RY as the main MPs types. The range of deposition fluxes was 67.06-461.02 item·m·d, with highest deposition in residential area and lowest in forest, significant differences in MPs characteristics between environments. Based on MPs composition and shape, combined with backward trajectory analysis, the main sources of MPs were found to be textiles. Deposition of MPs was found to be influenced by environmental and meteorological factors. Factors such as gross domestic product and population density had a significant impact on the deposition flux, while wind played a diluting role for atmospheric MPs. The study investigated the characteristics of MPs in different ecosystems which may help to understand the transport patterns of MPs and is of great importance for the management of MPs pollution.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic atmospheric dustfall pollution in urban environment: Evidence from the types, distribution, and probable sources in Beijing, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers collected atmospheric dustfall samples across urban Beijing and analyzed the types, distribution, and likely sources of airborne microplastics. They found that synthetic fibers from textiles and fragments from various plastic products were the dominant forms, with concentrations varying by location and proximity to pollution sources. The study provides evidence that urban atmospheric microplastic pollution is widespread and likely linked to daily human activities and industrial processes.
Occurrence, influencing factors and sources of atmospheric microplastics in peri-urban farmland ecosystems of Beijing, China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic deposition in farmland areas on the outskirts of Beijing and found an average of about 167 particles per square meter per day settling from the air. The majority were tiny fibers made of polyester and rayon, likely originating from textile sources and urban activities. The study demonstrates that atmospheric fallout is a meaningful pathway for microplastic contamination of agricultural soils near cities.
Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in a rural region of North China Plain
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated atmospheric microplastic deposition in a rural area of the North China Plain, finding significant quantities of microplastics deposited through both dry and wet pathways, with fibers and polyethylene being the dominant types.
Atmospheric microplastic deposition in an urban agglomeration: Spatiotemporal dynamics, influencing factors and ecological risks
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tracked microplastic pollution falling from the air across a major Chinese urban region (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei) over a full year, finding that busier, wealthier, more populated areas had significantly more tiny plastic particles raining down from the sky, especially in spring. Most of these particles were tiny plastic fibers, often from synthetic textiles, small enough to potentially be inhaled, and the study found "moderate" to "high" ecological risk levels at various sites, highlighting that the air we breathe in cities is a real and measurable source of microplastic exposure that changes with location and season.
An important source of terrestrial microplastics‐atmospheric deposition: A microplastics survey based on Shaanxi, China
AI summary Read the abstract
A six-month atmospheric sampling campaign across ten cities in Shaanxi Province, China detected microplastics in all air deposition samples, including both wet (rain/snow) and dry deposition. The most abundant polymer types were PET, polyacrylonitrile, PE, and PP — consistent with textiles and packaging as key sources — and concentrations were highest in the provincial capital Xi'an, correlating with urban population density. The study confirms that atmospheric fallout is a significant and widespread route by which microplastics enter terrestrial environments far from any obvious plastic source.
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.