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MP-GeoProxy Database: Biogeochemical Proxies for Atmospheric Microplastics

Microplastics 2026 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Sajjad Abbasi

Summary

The MP-GeoProxy database compiles atmospheric microplastic measurements paired with biogeochemical tracers such as rare-earth elements, metal ratios, and isotopes to help researchers trace where airborne microplastics come from and how they travel. This multi-proxy resource enables more rigorous source attribution and transport modeling of microplastics circulating through the atmosphere.

The MP-GeoProxy database provides a multi-proxy collection of atmospheric (suspended and deposited) microplastic (MP) data, coupled with biogeochemical tracers, to support studies on MP provenance, transport, and behavior. The database includes co-located active and passive, size-resolved air and source material samples, with parallel characterization of MPs (counts, mass, size distribution, volume, polymer type, etc.), elemental and mineral analyses, other organic and inorganic atmospheric contaminants, and strict QA/QC measures. Biogeochemical tracers include rare-earth element patterns, crustal and anthropogenic metal ratios, mineral assemblages, multi-ion sea-salt signatures, high-resolution isotopes, additional organic or inorganic contaminants, meteorological parameters, and potential new methodological approaches in future versions. The database is designed for use with transport and receptor modeling, as well as uncertainty quantification, enabling multi-proxy assessment of atmospheric MP dynamics. The MP-GeoProxy database is versioned and must be cited using the Concept DOI and the DOI of the specific version used.

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