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Microplastics in the Atmosphere
Summary
This review summarises evidence on atmospheric transport of microplastics, noting it is a global and serious pollution dissemination mechanism that has received less scientific attention than aquatic pathways. Airborne microplastics are predominantly fibers and correlate with human population density and industrial activity.
Atmospheric transport of microplastics is global in extent. This is a far more serious pollutant dissemination mechanism than other types and modes of pollutant disseminations in the environment. Yet, studies on and data pertaining to microplastics in the atmosphere are scanty. Most of the microplastics in the atmosphere are fibers, though films, fragments, and foams are frequently found, while microbeads are rare. Correlations exist between population density, urban, industrial, and anthropogenic activity, and the quantum of atmospheric microplastic particles. While it is of common knowledge that airborne microplastic particles from terrestrial origins are found in both polluted and remote areas over land, as well as in coastal, deep marine, and polar regions, occurrences of polyethylene and polypropylene that are produced locally in seawater are also documented. As airborne microplastics travel an order of magnitude faster than oceanic transport, this study necessitates similar studies elsewhere in order to understand the ramifications as well as budgeting.