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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Nanoplastic–lipid interactions at marine relevant interfaces: implications for atmospheric chemistry
ClearMorphology 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.
The Influence of Atmospheric Microplastics on Global Climate Dynamics: An Interdisciplinary Review
This interdisciplinary review examines how atmospheric microplastics — because of their unique physical and chemical properties — interact with aerosol processes differently from natural particles such as dust and sea spray, with implications for cloud formation, radiative forcing, and global circulation patterns. The authors synthesize current understanding of how microplastic aerosols may influence climate dynamics and call for their integration into climate modeling frameworks.
Examination of the ocean as a source for atmospheric microplastics
Researchers assessed whether the ocean can be a net source of atmospheric microplastics (rather than just a sink), finding evidence that bubble bursting and sea spray can eject plastic particles from ocean surface waters into the atmosphere.
Potential impacts of atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics on cloud formation processes
Researchers investigated how atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics could act as cloud condensation nuclei or ice nucleating particles, potentially affecting cloud formation, precipitation patterns, and Earth's radiation balance at sufficient concentrations.
Experimental evidence of plastic particles transfer at the water-air interface through bubble bursting
Experimental evidence showed that bubble bursting at the sea surface can transfer plastic particles from bulk water to sea spray aerosols, providing a mechanism for microplastics to be transported from ocean surface waters into the atmosphere.
Aerosolization of micro- and nanoplastics via sea spray: Investigating the role of polymer type, size, and concentration, and potential implications for human exposure
This study found that microplastics and nanoplastics in ocean water can become airborne through sea spray and be inhaled by people near coastlines. Smaller plastic particles were launched into the air more efficiently than larger ones, and the researchers estimated that people living near the coast could inhale thousands of plastic particles per year through this route. This reveals a previously underappreciated pathway for human exposure to microplastics beyond eating and drinking.
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.
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.
Plastic Accumulation in the Sea Surface Microlayer: An Experiment-Based Perspective for Future Studies
This experimental study examined how plastic particles accumulate in the sea surface microlayer — the thin film at the ocean-air interface that supports unique microbial communities. Microplastics were found to concentrate in this layer, potentially disrupting gas exchange and the biology of surface-dwelling organisms.
Effect of wettability on microplastic aerosolization via film and jet drops ejected from bursting bubbles
Researchers experimentally investigated how wettability of microplastic particles affects their aerosolization via film drops and jet drops ejected from bursting bubbles at the ocean surface. They found that particle wettability significantly controls the probability of microplastic inclusion in ejected droplets, with implications for understanding how microplastics transfer from the ocean surface into the atmosphere.
Quantification of the Emission of Atmospheric Microplastics and Nanoplastics via Sea Spray
Researchers conducted lab experiments to measure how microplastics and nanoplastics in the ocean get launched into the atmosphere through sea spray bubbles. They found that plastic particles smaller than 10 micrometers can become airborne this way, with smaller and less dense particles being emitted more easily. This reveals an important but underappreciated pathway by which ocean plastic pollution can reach inland areas and be inhaled by people.
Atmospheric microplastic emissions from land and ocean
Researchers quantified atmospheric microplastic emissions from both land and ocean surfaces, finding that re-suspension of deposited plastics from land and sea spray from the ocean are significant sources of airborne particles. The results highlight that the ocean is not just a sink but also a source of airborne microplastics.
New insights into the role of marine plastic-gels in microplastic transfer from water to the atmosphere via bubble bursting
Researchers identified a three-step mechanism by which microplastics are transferred from ocean surface water to the atmosphere during bubble bursting, finding that marine gel particles play a critical role by concentrating MPs at the air-sea interface before aerosol ejection. The results help explain how MPs reach remote terrestrial environments through atmospheric deposition from the ocean.
Physical and Chemical Characterisation of Nanoplastic Aerosol
Researchers physically and chemically characterized nanoplastic aerosol particles to better understand their atmospheric behavior, finding that particle size and surface chemistry influence their capacity for long-range atmospheric transport and deposition in remote environments.
Is atmospheric pathway a significant contributor to microplastics in the marine environment?
Researchers reviewed evidence for atmospheric transport of microplastics to and from marine environments, finding that wind-driven processes like sand storms, bubble bursts, and sea spray can eject microplastics from ocean surfaces into aerosols, making the atmosphere a significant but understudied pathway in the marine microplastic cycle.
Ejection of marine microplastics by raindrops: a computational and experimental study
This computational and experimental study showed that raindrops hitting the ocean surface can eject tiny water droplets carrying microplastic particles into the atmosphere. Rainfall is thus a mechanism for spreading microplastics from ocean surfaces into the air, contributing to global atmospheric plastic transport.
Dynamics of microplastics across the air–sea interface: enrichment in the sea-surface microlayer, foam, and links to regional biogeochemistry
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles are heavily concentrated in the thin layer at the ocean's surface and in sea foam - up to 100 times more than in deeper water below. These microplastics are constantly moving between the air and sea, with the smallest pieces traveling fastest and potentially spreading pollution over long distances. This matters because these surface waters and sea foam are where marine life feeds and where people swim, meaning we're likely exposed to much higher levels of plastic pollution than previously thought.
Airborne hydrophilic microplastics in cloud water at high altitudes and their role in cloud formation
Researchers collected cloud water from mountain summits in Japan at altitudes up to 3,776 meters and found microplastics in every sample, including common types like polyethylene and polypropylene. Many of the particles showed signs of degradation and contained water-attracting chemical groups, suggesting they could influence cloud formation by acting as condensation nuclei. The study raises the possibility that airborne microplastics may be affecting weather patterns and climate at a global scale.
Adsorption-Driven Cloud Droplet Activation of Fresh and Aged Polypropylene Particles
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in the air can help form clouds and potentially affect weather patterns. When these plastic particles get weathered by sunlight and air pollution, they become much better at attracting water droplets to form clouds compared to fresh plastic particles. This matters because microplastics are now everywhere in our atmosphere, and understanding how they change weather and climate could help us better predict environmental changes that affect human health and agriculture.
Degradation of Microplastics and Nanoplastics: An Underexplored Pathway Contributing to Atmospheric Pollutants
Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics degrade in the atmosphere through mechanical, photochemical, and microbial processes, releasing gaseous byproducts and serving as carriers for toxic substances. The study found that atmospheric degradation increases the particles' ability to interact with pollutants like heavy metals and persistent organic chemicals, amplifying health risks. Evidence indicates that airborne microplastics may also influence climate by affecting cloud formation and releasing greenhouse gases during photodegradation.
Overlooked Role of Bulk Nanobubbles in the Alteration and Motion of Microplastics in the Ocean Environment
Researchers examined how bulk nanobubbles in ocean water alter the motion and behavior of microplastics at the shoreline, finding that nanobubbles interact with microplastic surfaces in ways influenced by salinity and external energy, affecting how microplastics move and accumulate in marine environments.
Microplastic aging and adsorption in the atmosphere, and their associated impacts on various spheres of the earth: A review
This review examines how microplastics travel through the atmosphere and change during transport due to sunlight, wind, and interactions with other air pollutants. These aging processes alter the surface chemistry of microplastics, affecting which toxic chemicals they can absorb and carry to new locations. The atmospheric pathway is a major route for spreading microplastic contamination globally, including into remote areas and into the air people breathe.
Micro(nano)plastics in the atmosphere of the Atlantic Ocean.
This study characterized micro- and nanoplastic particles in atmospheric aerosols collected on a transect from Spain to Chile across the Atlantic Ocean, finding plastics present throughout the open ocean atmosphere. The findings demonstrate that long-range atmospheric transport is a significant pathway for spreading microplastics from source regions across the global ocean.
Constraining Microplastic Particle Emission Flux from the Ocean
Researchers quantified the transfer of microplastics from seawater to sea spray aerosols in laboratory experiments, finding enrichment factors up to 24,000-fold depending on particle size. Their bottom-up emission estimate suggests the oceans emit 24 quintillion microplastic pieces per year but are unlikely to be a significant source of atmospheric microplastics relative to land-based sources.