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Quantifying MajorSources of Atmospheric MicroplasticEmissions in Michigan
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Researchers built a bottom-up atmospheric microplastic emissions inventory for Michigan using high-resolution spatial data, estimating that traffic non-exhaust emissions dominate at 74.7% of mass emissions, followed by synthetic textiles at 25.2%, with agricultural soil dust and Great Lakes spray aerosols contributing negligibly.
Microplastics (MPs) have gained increasing attention as an environmental pollutant due to their ubiquity in the environment, including the atmosphere. MPs are emitted from several major processes on Earth’s surface to the atmosphere, where they may be subject to long-range transport. In this study, we build a bottom-up atmospheric MP emissions inventory for the state of Michigan. We consider several potential major sources, including non-exhaust vehicle emissions, fibrous microplastic (FMP) shedding from synthetic textiles, and resuspension of MPs in agricultural soil dust from fertilizers/plasticulture and lake spray aerosols from the Great Lakes. High-resolution (1 km) spatial emissions are quantified using state-, province-, national-, and global-level data sets to determine the relative importance of each major source. We estimate that mass emissions of MPs to the atmosphere in the Michigan region are primarily derived from traffic (74.7%), textiles (25.2%), and agricultural soil dust (0.1%). MP resuspensions due to lake spray aerosols were found to be a negligible source, yet large uncertainties remain regarding emission factors in freshwater systems. Our methodology and results provide a framework for future work in other locations to evaluate regional atmospheric MP emissions.
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Quantifying Major Sources of Atmospheric Microplastic Emissions in Michigan
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers built a bottom-up atmospheric microplastic emissions inventory for Michigan, estimating that traffic non-exhaust emissions account for 74.7% of mass emissions, synthetic textiles for 25.2%, and agricultural soil dust for 0.1%, with lake spray aerosols found to be negligible.
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Researchers compiled a comprehensive atmospheric microplastic dataset and derived top-down and bottom-up emission estimates for particles in the 5-100 micrometer size range from both land and ocean sources, providing gridded emissions data in multiple formats for use in atmospheric transport modelling.
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This modeling study estimated global emissions, atmospheric transport, and deposition of microplastics from road traffic sources, finding that road-derived microplastics are transported long distances by wind and deposited in remote locations including the Arctic. The findings quantify roads as a globally important source of atmospheric microplastic pollution.
Tire Wear Particles Outnumber Other Atmospheric Micro- and Nanoplastics across Rural to Suburban School Sites
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Researchers measured tiny plastic particles in the air at school parking lots across three Michigan counties over ten months. Plastic particles made up about 1% of all particles found, with tire wear particles about three times more common than other plastic types, and nanoplastics accounted for over 60% of plastic particles by size.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.