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Monitoring of microplastics in road dust samples from Myanmar and Taiwan
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Researchers analyzed 82 road dust samples from Myanmar and Taiwan collected between 2014 and 2018, finding mean microplastic abundances of 63-285 particles/kg in Myanmar cities versus 555 particles/kg in Taiwan, with polyethylene and polypropylene dominant in Myanmar and polyvinyl chloride dominant in Taiwan.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous pollutants in various environmental matrices. In this study, 82 road dust samples collected from Myanmar and Taiwan between 2014 and 2018 were analyzed to investigate the status of MPs pollution and distribution. In Myanmar, the mean abundances of MPs in road dust were high in cities, such as Nay Pyi Taw (285 pieces/kg dry weight), Mandalay (79 pieces/kg), and Yangon (63 pieces/kg). Alternatively, no MPs were found in samples from the rural areas, Wundwin and Bagan. The mean MP abundance was 555 pieces/kg in road dust from Taiwan, which was two to nine times that of road dust from Myanmar. Polyethylene and polypropylene were the dominant polymers detected in road dust from Myanmar, whereas polyvinyl chloride was a major component in road dust from Taiwan. These results suggest that differences in economic and industrial activities and population densities are related to MP profiles in road dust. The plastic additives butylated hydroxytoluene, diethyl phthalate, and di-n-octyl phthalate were identified in a polyvinyl chloride MP in the road dust. These MPs originate from plastic products in the environment and lead to extensive pollution with hazardous chemicals. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the occurrence of MPs in road dust from Myanmar.
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Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in urban road dust from Ma'anshan City, China, finding abundances of 223 particles/kg with polypropylene (58.9%) and polyethylene (30.1%) dominant, and commercial areas showing the highest contamination levels.
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Microplastics were detected in road dust sampled from three Asian cities (Kusatsu in Japan, Da Nang in Vietnam, and Kathmandu in Nepal), with concentrations and polymer types varying by city and sampling location. The study demonstrates that road surfaces are a major reservoir of microplastics in urban environments across diverse Asian contexts.
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Researchers collected road dust samples from different areas of Nanjing, a major city in eastern China, and found an average of 143 microplastic particles per square meter. Commercial and heavy industrial zones had the highest contamination levels, with 29 different polymer types identified across the city. The study found that urban land use, recent rainfall, and particulate matter levels were the main factors influencing microplastic pollution patterns in road dust.
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Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in road dust and stormwater, finding significantly higher concentrations in industrial areas compared to residential zones, with tire wear particles and polyethylene fragments being the most common types.
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Researchers investigated road-associated microplastics in dust samples from Metro Manila and Metro Cebu in the Philippines, finding that particles of 250 micrometers grain size were most abundant and identifying road dust as a potential source of airborne suspended plastic pollution in metropolitan areas.
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.