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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Physical and Chemical Characterisation of Nanoplastic Aerosol
ClearSize Distributionof Micro-/Nanoplastic Particlesand Their Chemical Speciation in the Atmosphere of Shanghai, China
Researchers characterized the size distribution and chemical speciation of micro- and nanoplastic particles collected from environmental samples, finding a continuous size spectrum from microns to nanometers and detecting additive chemicals co-associated with the particles.
Characterization of the Morphological and Chemical Profile of Different Families of Microplastics in Samples of Breathable Air
Researchers characterized the morphological and chemical profiles of airborne microplastics collected from breathable air samples, finding diverse polymer types and particle shapes and examining how these particles are transported through the atmosphere to the air people breathe.
A Review of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics: Insights into Source and Fate for Modelling Studies
This review synthesizes current knowledge on sources, atmospheric transport, and environmental fate of micro- and nanoplastics in the atmosphere, identifying key knowledge gaps including the long-range transport potential, dry and wet deposition rates, and health implications of inhaled airborne plastic particles.
A mechanistic approach to evaluating atmospheric deposition of micro- and nanoplastic particles
This study developed a theoretical framework to better understand how microplastic and nanoplastic particles move through the atmosphere and deposit onto land and water surfaces via wet and dry deposition. By drawing on knowledge from how other aerosols like mineral dust behave, the researchers identified key physical processes — including particle size, shape, and density — that govern how far microplastics travel and where they land. The work is important for modeling the global spread of microplastic pollution, including to remote regions far from pollution sources.
An Atmospheric Chemistry Perspective on Airborne Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles
This perspective paper highlights that airborne micro- and nanoplastics are an understudied form of air pollution that undergoes chemical changes in the atmosphere, potentially making the particles more harmful when inhaled. The authors call for atmospheric scientists and microplastic researchers to work together to better understand health risks from breathing in these particles.
Plastic burning: An important global source of atmospheric nanoplastic particles
Researchers conducted smoldering laboratory experiments with PVC, PP, LDPE, PET, and PS plastics and used aerosol mass spectrometry to characterise the physical and chemical properties of nanoplastic particles emitted, finding that plastic burning generates large quantities of nanoplastics and thermo-oxidation products that represent a significant but poorly quantified global source of atmospheric nano-sized plastic particles.
Morphology and hygroscopicity of nanoplastics in sea spray
Researchers characterized the morphology, surface composition, and hygroscopicity of nanoplastics in sea spray aerosol, revealing how these particles mix internally and externally with marine organic matter and sea salt in the atmosphere.
Particle properties and environmental factors control atmospheric transport and deposition of micro- and nanoplastics
Researchers built a mathematical model to predict how micro- and nanoplastics travel through the atmosphere, finding that particles around 1 micrometer in diameter and fiber-shaped plastics can remain airborne for weeks and travel long distances. Factors like wind speed, rainfall, and the particles' own shape and density determine whether plastics stay in the air for seconds or spread globally.
Degradation of nanoplastics in the environment: Reactivity and impact on atmospheric and surface waters
Researchers used polystyrene nanoparticles as a proxy to study nanoplastic degradation pathways in the environment, examining their reactivity and potential impact on both atmospheric chemistry and surface water quality. The study found that nanoplastics undergo transformation processes that may affect atmospheric aerosol composition and aquatic ecosystems.
Physical characteristics of microplastic particles and potential for global atmospheric transport: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to examine the physical characteristics of airborne microplastics and how they travel through the atmosphere. The findings confirm that microplastics can be transported globally by wind, meaning people everywhere are breathing in these particles regardless of how far they live from pollution sources.
Atmospheric transport dynamics of microplastic fibres
Researchers examined the atmospheric transport dynamics of microplastic fibres within boundary layer flows, comparing their motion to mineral grain transport and finding key differences in behaviour that have important implications for modelling the long-range atmospheric dispersal of microplastics to remote and rural locations.
A Review of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics: Insights into Source and Fate for Modelling Studies
This review synthesizes current knowledge about how micro- and nanoplastics move through the atmosphere, covering their sources, transport mechanisms, and eventual deposition. Researchers found that atmospheric transport can carry these particles over long distances quickly, making it a major pathway for global plastic pollution spread. The study identifies key knowledge gaps needed for developing accurate models of airborne microplastic behavior.
Various Perspectives on Occurrence, Sources, Measurement Techniques, Transport, and Insights Into Future Scope for Research of Atmospheric Microplastics
This review synthesized current knowledge on atmospheric microplastics, covering their sources, occurrence across global regions, measurement techniques, and transport mechanisms, while identifying key research gaps for future investigation.
Atmospheric chemistry of microplastics:T ransport, environmental impacts, and governance.
This article reviews the atmospheric chemistry of microplastics, examining their sources, transport mechanisms, environmental impacts including as carriers of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, and current remediation and governance strategies.
Effects of Shape and Size on Microplastic Atmospheric Settling Velocity
Researchers measured atmospheric settling and horizontal drift velocities of various microplastic shapes and sizes in controlled settling chambers, providing empirical data needed to improve atmospheric transport models that explain how microplastics reach remote environments.
In situ chemical characterization of airborne nanoplastic particles by aerosol mass spectrometry
Researchers used aerosol mass spectrometry to chemically characterize airborne nanoplastic particles in real time in urban air. They detected multiple polymer types including polyethylene and polystyrene at concentrations that varied with location and weather conditions. This approach enables in situ monitoring of atmospheric nanoplastics without sample collection, advancing understanding of human inhalation exposure.
Atmospheric chemistry of microplastics: Transport, environmental impacts, and governance
This article reviewed the atmospheric chemistry of microplastics, examining their sources, environmental transport, deposition, chemical transformations in the atmosphere, and governance frameworks. It found that airborne MPs travel globally, undergo photochemical aging, and deliver plastic-bound pollutants far from their emission sources.
Developing nano plastics models to study their fate in the environment.
Researchers synthesized nanoplastic model particles with well-defined properties to study their environmental fate and transport under controlled conditions. Standardized nanoplastic models allow more reproducible experiments and help bridge the gap between lab studies and real-world nanoplastic behavior.
Atmospheric Micro and Nanoplastics: An Enormous Microscopic Problem
This review examined atmospheric micro- and nanoplastic pollution, synthesizing evidence that plastic particles are suspended, transported, and deposited globally through atmospheric pathways, concluding that air represents a major but understudied route of human exposure and environmental dispersal requiring integration into plastic pollution models.
Microplastic shape affects travel distance
Researchers found that microplastic shape significantly influences atmospheric transport distance, with fibre and complex-shaped particles travelling farther than spherical ones assumed in most models, helping explain the detection of microplastics in remote locations such as Antarctica and Mount Fuji.
The Current Status of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics Research: Characterization, Analytical Methods, Fate, and Human Health Risk
This review synthesizes current knowledge on atmospheric micro- and nanoplastics, covering their characterization, analytical methods, environmental fate, and human health risks while highlighting the need for standardized sampling protocols to enable cross-study comparisons.
Geometric Form and Density Govern Microplastic Particle Kinetics During Aeolian Transport
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles move through the air and found that they travel faster and farther than natural particles like sand. This means microplastics can spread much more easily through wind to remote areas where people live, including places far from pollution sources. Understanding how these plastics move through the air is important because it helps explain why microplastics are showing up everywhere on Earth, potentially affecting human health through the air we breathe.
Is transport of microplastics different from mineral particles? Idealized wind tunnel studies on polyethylene microspheres
Wind tunnel experiments revealed that plastic (polyethylene) microspheres behave differently from mineral dust particles when transported by wind, particularly on hydrophobic surfaces, where plastic particles detach and become airborne more readily. Particle-to-particle collisions were found to both assist and impede detachment. These findings help explain why microplastics are found in remote atmospheric environments and improve models for predicting how far plastic particles can travel through the air from pollution sources.
Laboratory Investigation of Nanoplastic Mixing States with Water-Soluble Coatings using Single-Particle Mass Spectrometry
Scientists developed a new method to detect tiny plastic particles in the air and see what other chemicals stick to them, like salts and acids. They found that these nanoplastics can pick up different coatings as they float through the atmosphere, which changes how they move and where they end up. This matters for human health because understanding how these plastic particles travel and what they carry with them helps us predict where they might be breathed in by people.