We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Additives, Plasticizers, and Small Microplastics (5–100 µm) in Wet and Dry Depositions from an Urban Area of Venice, Italy
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists measured atmospheric deposition of microplastics, plastic additives, and plasticizers in wet and dry fallout collected from Venice, Italy, quantifying the urban air as a significant transport vector for particles as small as 5 µm. Airborne microplastic deposition means humans are inhaling and ingesting plastic particles even indoors, independent of food or water exposure routes.
The atmosphere is considered one of the most important pathways for the transport of microplastics (MPs) from urban areas to far and remote places.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic Abundance and Polymer Types in a Mediterranean Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance and polymer types across multiple compartments of a Mediterranean marine environment, documenting their presence from the sea surface to beach sediments and within marine organisms. The study adds to growing evidence that microplastics are pervasive throughout Mediterranean coastal ecosystems.
Microplastics in Urban Environments: Sources, Pathways, and Distribution
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers mapped the major sources and pathways of microplastic pollution in cities, finding that tire wear, laundry wastewater, landfills, and construction activity collectively make urban areas major generators of the microplastics that flow into surrounding air, water, and soil.
Microplastic (MP) Pollution in the Context of Occurrence, Distribution, Composition and Concentration in Surface Waters and Sediments: A Global Overview
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compiled global data showing microplastic pollution is essentially everywhere — in surface waters and sediments worldwide — with some locations finding microplastics in nearly every sample collected, underscoring how pervasive this contamination has become.
Overview of Microplastics and Their Environmental Occurrences
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers provided a comprehensive overview of microplastic contamination across environmental compartments — oceans, freshwater, soil, and air — documenting sources, persistence, and ecological effects of these ubiquitous pollutants. The review establishes a foundational understanding of microplastic distribution patterns essential for developing effective monitoring frameworks and policy interventions.
Sources and Fate of Microplastics in Urban Systems
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how microplastics enter and move through urban environments, tracing sources from personal care products, synthetic clothing, and infrastructure degradation to eventual fate in waterways — as global plastic production exceeds 380 million metric tons annually, cities are both major generators and transport corridors for microplastic pollution.
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.