We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
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.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution is becoming one of the most pressing environmental issues globally. MPs in the marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments have been fairly well investigated. However, knowledge of the atmospheric-mediated deposition of MPs within rural environments is limited. Here, we present the results of bulk (dry and wet) atmospheric MPs deposition in a rural region of Quzhou County in the North China Plain (NCP). Samples of MPs in the atmospheric bulk deposition were collected for individual rainfall events over a 12-month period from August 2020 to August 2021. The number and size of MPs from 35 rainfall samples were measured by fluorescence microscopy, while the chemical composition of MPs was identified using micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (μ-FTIR). The results showed that the atmospheric MPs deposition rate in summer (892-75,421 particles/m/day) was highest compared to 735-9428, 280-4244 and 86-1347 particles/m/day in spring, autumn, and winter, respectively. Furthermore, the MPs deposition rates in our study were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those in other regions, indicating a higher rate of MPs deposition in the rural region of the NCP. MPs with a diameter of 3-50 μm accounted for 75.6 %, 78.4 %, 73.4 % and 66.1 % of total MPs deposition in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively, showing that the majority of MPs in the current study were small in size. Rayon fibers accounted for the largest proportion (32 %) of all MPs, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (12 %) and polyethylene (8 %). This study also found that a significant positive correlation between rainfall volume and MPs deposition rate. In addition, HYSPLIT back-trajectory modelling showed that the farthest source of deposition MPs may have come from Russia.
More Papers Like This
Various forms and deposition fluxes of microplastics identified in the coastal urban atmosphere
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers collected precipitation samples in a Chinese coastal city and found microplastics of multiple shapes deposited from the atmosphere, with seasonal variation in deposition rates. This is one of the first studies to document atmospheric microplastic deposition in a coastal urban environment.
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.
Unveiling the Hidden Load: High Flux and Deposition Dynamics of Atmospheric Microplastics in the North China Plain
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured tiny plastic particles falling from the air over one year at three sites in China: a city, an industrial coastal area, and farmland. The city had the highest fallout, mostly small plastic fragments, and estimates suggest large yearly amounts of microplastics settle onto both urban areas and farmland.
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.
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.
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.