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Spatial and seasonal variations of airborne microplastics in the emerging megacity of Hangzhou, China
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Researchers conducted a year-long sampling campaign across four urban zones in Hangzhou, China, to characterize airborne microplastics at human breathing height. The study found an average of 4.43 particles per cubic meter, with about 89% of particles smaller than 100 micrometers, predominantly fragments composed of polyamide and rubber, showing strong seasonal variation with lowest levels in summer.
Ubiquitous airborne microplastics (AMPs) pose significant health risks to densely populated urban residents. This study characterized the spatiotemporal dynamics and physicochemical properties of AMPs in Hangzhou, China. A continuous one-year active (pumped) sampling campaign was conducted at human breathing height using a two-stage inlet (TSP and PM) across four functional zones (residential, industrial, shopping center, and roadside). The mean TSP AMPs abundance was 4.43 ± 3.11 particles·m (median: 4.61 ± 2.72 particles·m; range: 0.22-9.48 particles·m). PM accounted for >72% of total AMPs, and ∼89% of particles were <100 μm in length (10-1066 μm; mean: 57.27 ± 1.29 μm; median: 39.00 ± 35.48 μm). Morphologically, fragments dominated (>93%), whereas fibers were mainly observed among larger particles (>700 μm). LDIR spectroscopy identified 28 material types, with a profile dominated by Polyamide (45.6%), Rubber (10.2%), and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (9.4%), consistent with contributions from textile- and traffic-related urban activities. Rank-based factorial analysis (Scheirer-Ray-Hare) indicated a strong seasonal effect for both TSP and PM (p < 0.001), and Dunn-Holm post-hoc tests showed significantly lower abundances in summer than in spring, autumn, and winter (P_Holm <0.001). Spatial contrasts were weaker: the site effect was marginal for TSP (p = 0.0525) but significant for PM (p = 0.0452), with a significant difference between the residential and roadside sites (P_Holm = 0.028). These findings provide essential insights into the characteristics, dynamics, and environmental impacts of AMPs in urban atmospheres, highlight the health risks posed by traffic-related, inhalable microplastics, and suggest that seasonal meteorology is a major driver of the observed summer minima in subtropical monsoon climates.
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Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastics in Hangzhou, a major city in China's Yangtze River Delta. They found that airborne microplastics were predominantly fibers, with tire wear particles and polyethylene terephthalate being the most common polymer types. The annual dry deposition of microplastics across the urban area was estimated at nearly 17 tons, highlighting the scale of airborne microplastic pollution in densely populated regions.
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Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Taipei City over a full year and found an average of about 6 particles per cubic meter of air, with higher levels during warm seasons. Fragment-shaped microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene) were the most common, and their concentrations were influenced more by weather conditions like temperature, UV levels, and humidity than by human activity within the city.
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Researchers characterized airborne microplastics at ten locations across Shenzhen, a major coastal city in southern China. They found an average abundance of 2.22 particles per cubic meter, with higher concentrations in areas of intense human activity and at lower altitudes. The study identified polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester fibers as the most common types, and found that temperature and humidity influence airborne microplastic levels.
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Researchers used uniform sampling methods to measure airborne microplastic concentrations across five major cities in northern and southeastern China. They found that indoor environments generally had higher microplastic levels than outdoor air, with fibers being the most common particle type. The study provides some of the first directly comparable data on airborne microplastic exposure across multiple cities, suggesting that people in densely populated areas face meaningful inhalation risks.
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