Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastics in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean: Distribution, source, and deposition

Researchers documented atmospheric microplastic distribution in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, finding abundances ranging from 0.0046 to higher levels and identifying sources and deposition patterns that contribute to marine microplastic pollution from airborne transport.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Exponential decrease of airborne microplastics: From megacity to open ocean

Researchers measured atmospheric microplastics across the western Pacific Ocean and found concentrations decreased exponentially with distance from megacity sources, confirming that atmospheric transport is a major pathway for microplastics entering the open ocean.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

A preliminary comparison of microplastic type, size, and composition in atmospheric and foliage samples in an urban scenario

Researchers compared microplastic types, sizes, and polymer compositions in atmospheric dry and wet deposition at multiple sites, assessing contributions to ecosystem contamination. The results showed that atmospheric deposition is a significant pathway for microplastic redistribution, particularly to remote areas.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric Dry and Wet Deposition of Microplastics in an Urban Area and a Remote Island: Year-Round Consecutive Monthly Observations

Researchers conducted year-round parallel monthly monitoring of atmospheric microplastic dry and wet deposition in urban Seoul and remote Baengnyeong Island, finding that urban areas had significantly higher deposition rates and that long-range transport contributes measurable microplastic fallout even to remote marine locations.

2025
Article Tier 2

Evidence and Mass Quantification of Atmospheric Microplastics in a Coastal New Zealand City

Researchers quantified atmospheric microplastic deposition in Auckland, New Zealand, combining fluorescence microscopy with pyrolysis-GC/MS to determine both particle counts and mass concentrations of specific polymers in airborne samples.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 81 citations
Article Tier 2

A preliminary comparison of microplastic type, size, and composition in atmospheric and foliage samples in an urban scenario

Researchers compared microplastic types, sizes, and polymer compositions in atmospheric dry and wet deposition samples from different settings. The study found that atmospheric deposition is a meaningful pathway for microplastic dispersal, with variation in particle characteristics across sites.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Characteristic of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city, China: preliminary research and first evidence

Researchers characterized microplastics in atmospheric fallout collected in Dongguan City, China, finding that airborne microplastics are deposited daily and that urban areas generate significant atmospheric microplastic emissions.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 912 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and characterization of atmospheric microplastics in a coastal urban area of the city of Lima, Peru

This study quantified and characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in a coastal urban area of Lima, Peru, finding that microplastics in the air are an emerging but understudied pollution problem in the region. The research addressed a gap in South American data on airborne microplastic behavior and distribution.

2024
Article Tier 2

Unveiling Microplastic Abundance and Distribution in an Oceanic Island: Offshore Depository or Local Pollution Indicator

Microplastic abundance and distribution were documented across surface waters and sediments of an oceanic island, with findings indicating both local land-based pollution and ocean gyre-driven deposition of particles from distant sources.

2024 Sustainability 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastic transport and deposition to urban and pristine tropical locations in Southeast Asia

Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic deposition at urban and pristine sites in Malaysia across two monsoon seasons and found microplastics at all locations, including a remote tropical forest. Deposition rates ranged from 114 to 689 particles per square meter per day, with monsoon wind patterns influencing the transport of particles over long distances. The study demonstrates that atmospheric transport is a significant pathway for spreading microplastic contamination to even remote ecosystems in Southeast Asia.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastic over the South China Sea and East Indian Ocean: abundance, distribution and source

Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic abundance across 21 transects from coastal China to the East Indian Ocean and found that concentrations near the Pearl River Estuary were ten times higher than over the open ocean, with backward trajectory modeling suggesting long-range atmospheric transport exceeding 1,000 km but indicating that atmospheric deposition is unlikely to be the primary source of oceanic microplastic contamination.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 318 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics: a sampling and analytical method including the associated measurement uncertainties

Researchers developed a tailored analytical chain for atmospheric microplastic sampling — including collection, processing, and optical microscopy-based analysis — and applied it to quantify atmospheric deposition of microplastics and assess the atmosphere as a vector of global microplastic distribution.

2025
Article Tier 2

Origins and ecological risk of atmospheric microplastics at a remote background site in Japan

Atmospheric microplastics collected at a high-altitude site were traced to both local and long-range transport origins, revealing the broad geographical spread of airborne plastic particles. The ecological risk assessment found potential impacts on vulnerable high-elevation ecosystems far from pollution sources.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Aerosol mass concentrations and dry/wet deposition of atmospheric microplastics at a remote coastal location in New Zealand

Researchers quantified airborne microplastic concentrations at a remote coastal site in southern New Zealand using both active and passive sampling methods. They found plastics comprised at least 0.14% of total suspended particulate mass, with air trajectory analysis suggesting the Southern Ocean as a source. The study indicates that counting microplastics by number alone may significantly underestimate true atmospheric plastic pollution, since the smallest and most abundant particles escape microscopic detection.

2025 Environmental Pollution 7 citations
Review Tier 2

Distribution and transport of atmospheric microplastics and the environmental impacts: A review

This review examines the distribution, transport, and environmental impacts of atmospheric microplastics, synthesizing evidence that airborne plastics are found globally from urban centers to remote polar regions. The authors identify deposition via precipitation as a major pathway by which atmospheric microplastics contaminate soil and water surfaces.

2022 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Various forms and deposition fluxes of microplastics identified in the coastal urban atmosphere

Researchers collected precipitation samples in a Chinese coastal city and found microplastics of multiple shapes deposited from the atmosphere, with seasonal variation in deposition rates. This is one of the first studies to document atmospheric microplastic deposition in a coastal urban environment.

2017 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 253 citations
Article Tier 2

Global inventory of atmospheric fibrous microplastics input into the ocean: An implication from the indoor origin

Researchers quantified atmospheric fibrous microplastic transport from land to ocean in the Asia-Pacific region using data from nine ocean cruises between 2018 and 2019, developing a global inventory of atmospheric microplastic input into marine environments. The study concluded that atmospheric deposition is a significant and previously underestimated pathway for inland microplastics to reach the ocean.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 104 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive Analysis of Atmospheric Microplastic Deposition: Insights from North Wales, UK, and Global Collaborations.

This study conducted extensive atmospheric microplastic deposition monitoring in North Wales, UK, combining local data with global collaborations to characterize deposition rates, polymer types, and seasonal patterns, finding measurable microplastic fallout even in rural areas.

2024
Article Tier 2

The deposition of atmospheric microplastics in Jakarta-Indonesia: The coastal urban area

Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in Jakarta, Indonesia over 12 months, finding deposition rates of 3-40 particles per square meter per day with fibers as the dominant shape, and higher deposition during the rainy season compared to the dry season.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in the coastal zone: Characteristics and relationship with meteorological factors

Microplastics deposited from the atmosphere were sampled and characterized in a coastal zone, with analysis of meteorological factors including air humidity, wind speed, precipitation, and air mass trajectories. The study found measurable atmospheric microplastic deposition in the coastal environment, with weather patterns influencing deposition rates and particle characteristics.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 258 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric transport and deposition of microplastics in a subtropical urban environment

Researchers measured atmospheric wet and dry deposition of microplastics over one year in Guangzhou, China, a subtropical megacity. They found deposition fluxes ranging from 51 to 178 particles per square meter per day, with fibers, fragments, films, and microbeads all detected, indicating that atmospheric transport is a significant pathway for microplastic distribution in urban environments.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 265 citations
Article Tier 2

Consistent Transport of Terrestrial Microplastics to the Ocean through Atmosphere

Suspended atmospheric microplastics (SAMPs) were measured during a Pacific Ocean research cruise for the first time, finding median concentrations of 0.01 particles/m³ with fibers (60%) as the dominant form and microplastic composition matching terrestrial rather than marine sources. The study provides direct evidence of consistent atmospheric transport of land-derived microplastics to the open ocean.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 512 citations
Article Tier 2

Regional and climatic variations in atmospheric microplastic deposition: A study throughout Iran

Dry deposition of atmospheric microplastics was measured simultaneously across nine Iranian cities with different climates and populations over one week, finding deposition rates from 5 to over 100 particles/m²/day, with population density and wind conditions as key drivers.

2025 Environmental Technology & Innovation 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics, sources and potential ecological risk of atmospheric microplastics in Lhasa city

Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastics collected at a monitoring site, identifying their sources, size distribution, polymer composition, and potential ecological risks from aerial deposition to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

2024 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 7 citations