Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics generation from flooring materials under UV exposure: A comprehensive analysis of microplastics emission and chemical deformation

Researchers tested how common indoor flooring materials, including carpet tiles, laminate, and PVC flooring, release microplastics when exposed to UV light from sunlight and foot traffic. All three materials generated microplastic particles, with UV exposure accelerating the release and changing the chemical structure of the plastic surfaces. This study shows that indoor environments are a significant but often overlooked source of microplastic exposure through the air people breathe at home and work.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of particle generation due to deterioration of flooring in schools.

A simulated school-day experiment tested particle release from different flooring materials under repeated foot traffic, finding that some floor types generate substantial quantities of fine particulate matter, including plastic-containing particles, that may affect indoor air quality for children.

2024 Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Article Tier 2

Applying plant fibers in flooring paint: Strategy to reduce indoor microplastics generations and potential health risks

Researchers incorporated coconut and loofah plant fibers into flooring paint at 6, 12, and 18 g concentrations and measured microplastic generation using a walking simulation device. Higher fiber content (18 g) reduced microplastic generation by 3-fold compared to 6 g, and health risk assessment confirmed this reduction lowered potential inhalation risks.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Unravelling the microplastic contamination: A comprehensive analysis of microplastics in indoor house dust

This study provides a detailed analysis of microplastics found in indoor house dust, where people spend most of their time. Fibers were the most common type found, originating from textiles, carpets, and clothing, with plastic sizes and types varying across different household areas. The findings highlight that everyday indoor environments are a significant source of microplastic exposure through inhalation and ingestion of dust.

2024 Indoor and Built Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and exposure assessment of microplastics in Australian indoor house dust

Researchers collected dust samples from 32 Australian homes and found microplastic fibers in every one, with deposition rates varying widely between households. Homes with carpet had significantly higher levels of plastic fibers like polyethylene and polyester, while homes without carpet had more polyvinyl fibers from floor coatings. Since people spend about 90% of their time indoors, this household dust represents a major and often overlooked source of microplastic exposure through both inhalation and ingestion.

2021 Environmental Pollution 254 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring microplastics sources in indoor environments, an emerging pollutant

This study explores microplastics as an emerging indoor air and surface pollutant, examining the diverse sources that contribute to microplastic presence within indoor environments and characterizing the pathways by which people may be exposed.

2025 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in settled indoor dust: Implications for human exposure

Researchers measured microplastics in household and workplace dust in Birmingham, UK, finding that homes — especially carpeted ones — had higher concentrations than offices, and that toddlers may ingest roughly twice as many microplastic particles per day as adults due to their smaller body size and floor-level activities.

2025 Emerging contaminants 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A characterization and an exposure risk assessment of microplastics in settled house floor dust in Istanbul, Turkey

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in settled house floor dust from homes in Istanbul, Turkey. The study found that polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common polymer types, and risk assessments indicated extremely dangerous contamination levels. Evidence indicates that humans face higher exposure to indoor microplastics through ingestion than inhalation, with infants at particularly elevated risk compared to other age groups.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics exposure levels based on building composition and usage in built environmnet

This study assessed indoor microplastic exposure levels across different building types and usage patterns, finding that building composition materials and occupancy behavior significantly affect airborne MP concentrations and thus human inhalation exposure in built environments.

2025 Building Simulation Conference proceedings
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastic contamination across diverse university indoor environments: A comprehensive ambient analysis

Researchers measured airborne microplastics across different indoor spaces at a university and found that people in those buildings inhale an estimated 180 to 240 microplastic particles daily. The most common types found were nylon, PTFE, polypropylene, and polyethylene, with fragments showing rough edges from wear and tear. This study highlights that indoor air is a significant and often overlooked source of microplastic exposure for people who spend most of their time indoors.

2024 Air Quality Atmosphere & Health 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the indoor environment

This review examines microplastic contamination in indoor environments, noting that people are continuously exposed to microplastics in household dust, air, and from flooring, furniture, and textiles. Indoor microplastic exposure is a key route of human inhalation and ingestion that has received less attention than environmental contamination.

2020 UBibliorum repositorio digital da ubi (University of Beira Interior)
Article Tier 2

Review of microplastics in the indoor environment: Distribution, human exposure and potential health impacts

This review comprehensively analyzes microplastic contamination in indoor environments, where most people spend the majority of their time. Researchers found that indoor exposure to microplastics comes from multiple sources including dust, air, drinking water, and food, with finer particles posing the greatest concern because they can enter the bloodstream and organs. The findings suggest that indoor microplastic exposure represents a meaningful but understudied health risk that requires further research into mitigation strategies.

2023 Chemosphere 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Unravelling The Deposition of Indoor Microplastics at Various Heights Across Rooms

Researchers investigated indoor microplastic deposition across different room heights at a Malaysian university, finding that microplastics settle at varying rates depending on elevation, with fibers and fragments being the dominant forms detected in office and laboratory settings.

2023 E3S Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic: A particulate matter(PM) generated by deterioration of building materials

Researchers identified that deteriorating building materials — including paints, sealants, and coatings — generate microplastic particulate matter as fine indoor dust, with particle concentration and polymer composition varying by material type and degree of degradation.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in indoor air from Birmingham, UK: Implications for inhalation exposure

In the first study of its kind in the UK, researchers measured airborne microplastics inside 30 homes and 30 workplaces in Birmingham, finding an average of about 16 particles per cubic meter of indoor air in homes. Homes had significantly higher levels than workplaces, largely due to carpeted floors, and the results suggest that people are breathing in meaningful amounts of microplastics in the places where they spend most of their time.

2024 Environmental Pollution 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of UV degradation on building materials with emphasis on microplastic generation potential

Researchers exposed common indoor building materials to UV light and found that the materials gradually degraded, releasing microplastic particles into the indoor environment. Wallpapers and plastic sheets showed the highest potential for microplastic generation and posed elevated health risk scores from ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. Since people spend most of their time indoors, these findings suggest that building materials are an overlooked source of daily microplastic exposure.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Fallout in Different Indoor Environments

Researchers tracked microplastic fallout in indoor environments (dormitory, office, corridor) over three months and found that higher human activity on workdays and airflow from air conditioning increased microplastic deposition rates, identifying indoor air as a significant exposure route.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 404 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in indoor dust at Dhaka city: unveiling the unseen contaminants within our homes

Researchers analyzed indoor dust from homes, offices, and other indoor spaces in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and found microplastics present in every sample. Fibers were the most common form, likely originating from synthetic textiles, and concentrations varied by room type and ventilation. The study reveals that indoor environments are a significant but often overlooked source of human microplastic exposure.

2024 Frontiers in Environmental Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in indoor deposition samples in university classrooms

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in dust collected from university classrooms and found particles from clothing fibers, shoes, and school supplies. Most particles were polyamide and polypropylene fibers ranging from 120 to over 2,000 micrometers in size, and surface damage on the particles suggests they may be breaking down into even smaller nanoplastics over time. Since people spend most of their time indoors, this indoor microplastic exposure is an important and underappreciated route of human contact with these particles.

2024 Discover Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the concentration, distribution and characteristics of suspended microplastics in the Malaysian indoor environment

Researchers measured airborne microplastic levels inside offices, classrooms, apartments, and homes across Malaysia over six weeks. Microplastics were found in every indoor environment tested, with fibers being the most common type, and people in homes were estimated to inhale more microplastics daily than those in offices or classrooms. The findings highlight that indoor air is a significant and often overlooked source of microplastic exposure for people.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess human exposure through inhalation

Researchers investigated suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess the extent of human exposure through inhalation. The study quantified airborne microplastic particles in indoor settings, providing data on a potentially important but understudied route of daily microplastic intake for the general population.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, human exposure, and risk of microplastics in the indoor environment

This review examines the often-overlooked issue of microplastic contamination in indoor environments, where people spend up to 90 percent of their time. Researchers found that indoor microplastic concentrations can be substantial, originating from synthetic textiles, furniture, and building materials. The study highlights a significant gap in understanding human microplastic exposure and calls for more research on the health risks of breathing in and ingesting these particles at home and work.

2021 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 212 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of the geographic location and house characteristics on the concentration of microplastics in indoor dust

Scientists measured microplastics in household dust from 60 homes across Lima, Peru, and found them in every single home, with fibers being the most common type at 98%. Homes on higher floors, in certain city districts, and with more synthetic textiles had higher concentrations of microplastics in their dust. Since people spend most of their time indoors, this study highlights that household dust is a significant and often overlooked source of daily microplastic exposure.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 23 citations
Review Tier 2

Indoor microplastics: a comprehensive review and bibliometric analysis

This review summarizes research on microplastic pollution inside buildings, where people spend most of their time. Indoor environments generally have higher microplastic concentrations than outdoors, with fiber-shaped particles from synthetic textiles being the most common type. Since people inhale and ingest these particles daily, indoor microplastic exposure may be a significant and underappreciated route of human health risk.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 31 citations