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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Unveiling the seasonal transport and exposure risks of atmospheric microplastics in the southern area of the Yangtze River Delta, China
ClearCharacterization of atmospheric microplastics in Hangzhou, a megacity of the Yangtze river delta, China
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.
Physicochemical characteristics of airborne microplastics of a typical coastal city in the Yangtze River Delta Region, China
Researchers characterized airborne microplastics in a coastal city in China's Yangtze River Delta, comparing daytime and nighttime concentrations and tracing their sources. They found that fibers were the most common shape, with polyester and rayon dominating, and that microplastic levels were higher during the day when human activity was greater. Atmospheric transport from both land and sea contributed to the pollution, highlighting that airborne microplastics are a significant and complex source of human exposure.
Airborne microplastics in China: Assessing urbanization, weather factors and policy implications from the nationwide study
Researchers conducted the first nationwide assessment of atmospheric microplastics across 30 Chinese cities combined with year-round monitoring in Ningbo, finding an average deposition flux of 473.9 items m-2 d-1 and identifying urbanization level, seasonal weather patterns, and wind conditions as key governing factors of atmospheric microplastic distribution.
[Distribution, Respiratory Exposure, and Traceability of Atmospheric Microplastics in Yichang City].
Researchers sampled airborne microplastics at 16 locations across Yichang City, China, and found them in every area, with the highest concentrations settling over urban residential neighborhoods. The particles were mostly polyester fibers and came predominantly from nearby sources rather than long-range transport. Daily inhalation estimates were calculated for both adults and children, highlighting indoor and outdoor respiratory exposure as a meaningful human health concern that warrants tighter monitoring.
Airborne Microplastic Concentrations in Five Megacities of Northern and Southeast China
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.
Spatial and seasonal variations of airborne microplastics in the emerging megacity of Hangzhou, China
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.
Abundance of microplastics and nanoplastics in urban atmosphere
Scientists measured microplastics and nanoplastics in the air of two major Chinese cities and found concentrations reaching hundreds of thousands of particles per cubic meter. Road dust being kicked up by traffic and rainfall washing particles out of the sky were the two biggest drivers of atmospheric plastic pollution. These findings suggest that city residents are inhaling significant amounts of plastic particles every day, with potential implications for respiratory and overall health.
Assessment of suspended atmospheric microplastics in Tianjin Binhai New Area: characterization, human health risks, and correlation with weather conditions and Air Quality Index
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in an urban area of Tianjin, China, and found them in every sample collected during autumn and winter. The particles were mostly fibers, with polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene among the most common types, and concentrations varied with weather conditions like humidity and barometric pressure. A health risk assessment suggested that residents face measurable exposure to airborne microplastics, raising concerns about long-term inhalation risks.
Atmospheric microplastics at a southern China metropolis: Occurrence, deposition flux, exposure risk and washout effect of rainfall
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Guangzhou, a major city in southern China, finding them throughout the year with higher levels during the rainy season. They estimated that adults in the city inhale tens of thousands of microplastic particles annually through normal breathing. Rainfall helped wash microplastics out of the air, but it also deposited them onto surfaces where they can enter water and soil, creating another pathway for human exposure.
Atmospheric microplastics in Handan, China: characteristics, seasonal variations, and human exposure risk
Researchers conducted a year-long monitoring campaign of deposited and suspended atmospheric microplastics in Handan, an industrial city in northern China. They found strong seasonal variations linked to wind patterns and industrial emissions, with human inhalation exposure posing a measurable health risk.
Characterization of atmospheric microplastics: A case study in Shenzhen City, a southern coastal area of China
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.
Microplastic atmospheric dustfall pollution in urban environment: Evidence from the types, distribution, and probable sources in Beijing, China
Researchers collected atmospheric dustfall samples across urban Beijing and analyzed the types, distribution, and likely sources of airborne microplastics. They found that synthetic fibers from textiles and fragments from various plastic products were the dominant forms, with concentrations varying by location and proximity to pollution sources. The study provides evidence that urban atmospheric microplastic pollution is widespread and likely linked to daily human activities and industrial processes.
Airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments of a coastal city in Eastern China
Researchers measured airborne microplastic levels in both indoor and outdoor environments in a Chinese coastal city and found that indoor air contained about eight times more microplastics than outdoor air. Fragments smaller than 100 micrometers were the most common type, and urban areas had higher levels than rural areas. The study estimates that a person's annual exposure to airborne microplastics could reach over one million particles, with most exposure occurring indoors where people spend the majority of their time.
Microplastics in the atmospheric of the eastern coast of China: different function areas reflecting various sources and transport
Atmospheric sampling at two sites in a Chinese coastal city found microplastics suspended in the air at both downtown and industrial locations, but with different dominant sources — lifestyle and consumer products in the city center versus industrial activity in the industrial zone. The finding that microplastics are transported through the atmosphere confirms that people in urban areas are inhaling plastic particles regardless of proximity to industrial facilities.
Characteristics of microplastics in the atmosphere of Anyang City
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Anyang City, China, and found that concentrations increased significantly as air quality worsened, reaching an average of 0.42 particles per cubic meter during heavily polluted days. About 80% of the particles were black fiber strips, mainly made of cellophane, PET, and EVA. The study estimates that on high-pollution days, adults breathe in an average of 222 microplastic particles daily, highlighting the respiratory health risk from airborne microplastics in polluted cities.
Atmospheric microplastics deposition in a central Indian city: Distribution, characteristics and seasonal variations
Researchers measured airborne microplastic fallout in the Indian city of Nagpur and found 213 to 543 particles per square meter per day raining down from the sky, mostly tiny fibers from textiles. Children's estimated inhalation exposure was nearly double that of adults relative to body weight, raising particular health concerns about microplastic exposure through the air we breathe.
New insights into the long-term dynamics and deposition-suspension distribution of atmospheric microplastics in an urban area
Researchers tracked airborne microplastics in a city over a full year and found an average of 302 particles per square meter per day falling from the sky, with people potentially inhaling up to 12,777 particles per year. The microplastics came from sources up to 1,750 kilometers away, including traffic, industry, and textiles. This study highlights that breathing is a significant route of microplastic exposure for humans, even for people living far from obvious pollution sources.
Atmospheric deposition is an important pathway for inputting microplastics: Insight into the spatiotemporal distribution and deposition flux in a mega city
Researchers monitored microplastic fallout from the atmosphere in the Chinese megacity of Wuhan over an entire year and found an average of about 83 particles landing per square meter per day. The highest concentrations fell in spring, with city centers receiving more than suburbs, and most particles were tiny fibers from textiles. This study shows that simply breathing outdoor air and living in a city exposes people to a constant rain of microplastic particles.
Spatial and seasonal variations of atmospheric microplastics in high and low population density areas at the intersection of tropical and subtropical regions
Researchers monitored airborne microplastics over one year in both high and low population areas in Taiwan, finding microplastics present year-round in both locations. Urban areas had higher concentrations, and seasonal weather patterns affected how many microplastics were in the air. The study confirms that people are constantly breathing in microplastics regardless of where they live, though those in more populated areas face higher exposure.
Micro/nanoplastics in the Shenyang city atmosphere: Distribution and sources
Researchers measured micro- and nanoplastics in airborne particulate matter in Shenyang, China, and found plastic particles in every sample tested, with concentrations averaging 7.62 micrograms per cubic meter and making up about 12% of fine particulate matter. Since these tiny airborne plastics can be inhaled deep into the lungs, they represent a direct route of human exposure that may contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular disease.
Atmospheric microplastic input into wetlands: Spatiotemporal patterns, drivers, and unique ecological impacts
Researchers monitored atmospheric microplastic deposition across 11 cities along China's lower Yangtze River Basin over four seasons. They found an average deposition rate of 512 items per square meter per day, equivalent to an estimated 17.46 metric tons of plastic annually entering the surveyed wetlands. Vehicle density and the textile industry were identified as primary drivers, and experiments showed that deposited microplastics altered moss bacterial communities, suggesting ecological impacts on wetland ecosystems.
Human Exposure to Ambient Atmospheric Microplastics in a Megacity: Spatiotemporal Variation and Associated Microorganism-Related Health Risk
A year-long study in a major Chinese city estimated that children and adults are exposed to roughly 74,000 and 106,000 airborne microplastic particles per year, respectively, through breathing, swallowing dust, and skin contact. The researchers also found a concerning link between microplastic characteristics and the disease-causing potential of airborne bacteria, suggesting that microplastics in the air may carry health risks beyond the particles themselves.
Impact of seasonal changes and environmental conditions on suspended and inhalable microplastics in urban air
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.
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.