We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments of a developing country in South Asia: abundance, distribution, morphology, and possible sources
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified airborne microplastic concentrations in indoor and outdoor environments in a South Asian developing country, characterizing particle abundance, size distribution, morphology, and potential sources, finding significant microplastic air pollution in a lower-middle-income country context.
Airborne microplastics (AMPs) have been reported in indoor and outdoor air in high-income countries and are expected to be a significant contributor to daily MPs exposure for human beings. There are, to date, only a handful of studies in lower-middle-income countries, although pollution can be a more significant issue due to more lax environmental regulations. In this study, AMPs from 5000 – 50 µm were sampled from indoor and outdoor environments across selected areas of Sri Lanka using an active sampling technique. Suspected AMPs were further characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Microplastic concentrations (mean ± SE, particles/ m3) in indoor air (0.13 ± 0.09 to 0.93 ± 0.26) was higher than outdoor air (0.00 to 0.23 ± 0.03). This translates to an average human exposure of a little over 2500 MP particles/year. The types of indoor MPs were related to indoor-generating sources, the number of occupants, and their lifestyles. Outdoor abundance in high-density areas (0.11 ± 0.03 particles/m3) was always higher than in low-density areas (0.04 ± 0.016 particles/m3), albeit not significantly so. The highest outdoor MP abundance was found near an industrial zone, followed by urban and inland locations in high-density areas. The dominant size range of MPs was 100-300 μm, and the only shapes observed indoors and outdoors were fibers (98%) and fragments. Most MP particles were transparent, followed by blue and black. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was the prominent MP type followed by polyester, indicating that textile fibers could be the major source of these AMPs. Acrylic, polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and nylon were also identified. This study provides the first report on AMPs in Sri Lanka. Considering the population growth and industrialisation, further research should evaluate possible trends and health risks upon inhalation. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/424505/document
More Papers Like This
Airborne Microplastics in Indoor and Outdoor Environments of a Developing Country in South Asia: Abundance, Distribution, Morphology, and Possible Sources
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments across Sri Lanka, one of the first studies of its kind in a lower-middle-income country. They found that indoor microplastic concentrations were significantly higher than outdoor levels, with fibers being the most common particle type. The study estimates that people in these environments inhale thousands of microplastic particles daily, raising concerns about respiratory health impacts.
Airborne microplastics distribution in indoor and outdoor environments of a rapidly growing city in South India
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations bound to particulate matter in both indoor and outdoor environments across Tiruchirappalli, a rapidly growing city in Tamil Nadu, India. Indoor concentrations exceeded outdoor levels at several sites, with synthetic fiber microplastics dominating, indicating that indoor human activities contribute significantly to inhalation exposure.
Morphological and Chemical Analysis of Indoor Airborne Microplastics: Implications for Human Health in Ahvaz, Iran
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers collected indoor airborne microplastics and performed detailed morphological and chemical characterization, assessing the particle types, polymer identities, and surface properties of what people inhale in enclosed spaces. The study found a diverse mixture of synthetic fiber fragments and plastic particles in indoor air.
Comparison of Microplastic Characteristics in the Indoor and Outdoor Air of Urban Areas of South Korea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared indoor and outdoor airborne microplastic levels across urban South Korea, finding indoor concentrations were about 1.5 times higher than outdoors and that building ventilation rates directly influenced particle accumulation, suggesting ventilation management as a key exposure-reduction strategy.
Microplastics in the environment: prevalence, fate, impacts, and mitigation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the global spread of microplastics — particles smaller than 5mm — across oceans, freshwater, soil, air, and human food, summarizing the environmental and health risks they pose and identifying critical gaps in knowledge about airborne microplastic distribution, with a focus on limited data from Pakistan.
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.