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Atmospheric transport of microplastics during a dust storm
Chemosphere2021
77 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 55
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Andrew Turner
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Andrew Turner
Farnaz Ahmadi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Mahrooz Rezaei,
Andrew Turner
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Sajjad Abbasi,
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Andrew Turner
Summary
Researchers analyzed microplastics deposited during a dust storm in Shiraz, Iran, and found concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 1.06 particles per gram of dust. The study suggests that the majority of microplastics originated from distant desert sources rather than local urban areas, indicating that dust storms may be a significant mechanism for transporting and redistributing microplastics across arid regions.
Dust storms are common events in arid and semi-arid regions that have a wide range of impacts on the environment and human health. This study addresses the presence, characteristics and potential sources of microplastics (MPs) in such events by analysing MPs deposited with dust particles in the metropolis of Shiraz, southwest Iran, following an intense storm in May 2018. At 22 locations throughout the city, MP concentrations on a number basis ranged from 0.04 to 1.06 per g of dust (median = 0.31 MP g). Particles were mainly fibrous, with a mean diameter of about 20 μm and >60% under 100 μm in length, and polymer makeup was dominated by nylon, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate. Examination of selected MPs by scanning electron microscopy revealed varying degrees of weathering and contamination by extraneous geogenic particles amongst the samples. Using published MP concentrations in urban dusts and remote, arid soils, we estimate that between about 0.1 and 5% of MPs deposited by the dust storm are derived from local sources within the metropolis, with the remainder arising from more distant sources. HYSPLIT modelling, satellite imagery and published geochemical signatures of regional dust particles suggest that the deserts of Saudi Arabia constitute the principal distal and transboundary source. Dust storms may represent a significant means by which MPs are transported and redistributed in arid and semi-arid environments and an important source of MPs to the oceans.