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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Abundance of microplastics and nanoplastics in urban atmosphere
ClearAtmospheric 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.
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.
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.
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.
Microplastics in the urban atmosphere: Sources, occurrences, distribution, and potential health implications
This review summarizes research on airborne microplastics in cities, finding that indoor sources like textiles and outdoor sources like traffic-related plastic particles are major contributors. Microplastic concentrations in urban air can be significant, especially in densely populated areas, and people can inhale these particles daily. The health implications of breathing in microplastics are still being studied, but early evidence suggests they may cause lung inflammation and other respiratory problems.
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.
[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.
Temporal Distribution of Airborne Microplastics at an Urban Roadside
Researchers conducted a year-long sampling program for airborne microplastics at an urban roadside site in Zhengzhou, China, finding that traffic volume, seasonal variation, and meteorological conditions influenced the temporal distribution and polymer composition of atmospheric microplastics. Micro-Raman spectroscopy identified the dominant polymer types present in traffic-adjacent air.
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.
Diurnal Dynamics of Atmospheric Microplastic Content in the Central Regions of Uzbekistan
Scientists found tiny plastic particles floating in the air in two cities in Uzbekistan, with the highest levels during morning and afternoon hours when people are most active. Both the industrial city and residential city had similar amounts of these microplastics in the air, suggesting that everyday activities in neighborhoods create just as much plastic pollution as factories. This matters because people breathe in these plastic particles daily, but we still don't fully understand the long-term health effects of inhaling microplastics.
Atmospheric microplastic deposition associated with GDP and population growth: Insights from megacities in northern China
Researchers measured airborne microplastic pollution across 17 large cities in northern China and found that economic activity, especially GDP growth, was the strongest predictor of how much microplastic fell from the sky. The most common plastic types were polypropylene, polyamide, polyurethane, and polyethylene, with most particles smaller than 78 micrometers. This matters for human health because these tiny airborne plastics can be inhaled, and their levels appear to rise as cities grow economically.
[Characteristics of Microplastic Present in Urban Road Dust].
Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in urban road dust from Ma'anshan City, China, finding abundances of 223 particles/kg with polypropylene (58.9%) and polyethylene (30.1%) dominant, and commercial areas showing the highest contamination levels.
Size Distribution of Micro-/Nanoplastic Particles and Their Chemical Speciation in the Atmosphere of Shanghai, China
Scientists measured airborne micro- and nanoplastics in Shanghai's winter atmosphere and found that nearly 60% of the plastic mass consisted of very fine particles under 3.2 micrometers, small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs. Polyethylene (the most common plastic) made up 40% of airborne plastics, and modeling showed that nanoscale particles accumulate more in the deep lung than in the upper airways, raising concerns about long-term respiratory health effects.
Spatiotemporal occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the urban road dust in a megacity, eastern China
Researchers collected road dust samples from different areas of Nanjing, a major city in eastern China, and found an average of 143 microplastic particles per square meter. Commercial and heavy industrial zones had the highest contamination levels, with 29 different polymer types identified across the city. The study found that urban land use, recent rainfall, and particulate matter levels were the main factors influencing microplastic pollution patterns in road dust.
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.
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.
Unveiling the seasonal transport and exposure risks of atmospheric microplastics in the southern area of the Yangtze River Delta, China
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in the city of Ningbo, China, finding an average of 0.145 particles per cubic meter of air, with urban areas having about 70% more than surrounding rural regions. Most airborne microplastics were fibers smaller than 1 millimeter, mainly from synthetic textiles and local industry, with levels highest in winter. The study estimated that trillions of microplastic particles are suspended in the air over this single city, highlighting the scale of airborne microplastic exposure for urban populations.
Plastic rain—Atmospheric microplastics deposition in urban and peri-urban areas of Patna City, Bihar, India: Distribution, characteristics, transport, and source analysis
Researchers measured microplastic particles falling from the sky in Patna, India, finding nearly 2,000 particles per square meter per day in urban areas. The plastic "rain" was mostly tiny fibers and fragments made of common plastics like PET and polypropylene. This study shows that breathing outdoor air is another way people are exposed to microplastics, especially in cities.
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.
Microplastics in the Atmospheric Deposited Dust Collected from Different Traffic Intersections in Dhaka City
Air samples collected at 15 major traffic intersections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contained microplastics at deposition rates of up to 5.78 million particles per square meter per day, among the highest atmospheric microplastic levels reported in urban areas globally. The particles were predominantly polyethylene and nylon fibers, consistent with traffic and textile sources. This first-of-its-kind data for Dhaka highlights that residents of densely trafficked cities are inhaling substantial quantities of microplastics daily, with unknown health consequences.
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.
Microplastic Pollution in the street dust of Delhi: A study on seasonal variations
Researchers conducted the first comprehensive study of microplastic pollution in street dust across Delhi, India, examining seasonal variations. The study found significant microplastic contamination in urban street dust, with concentrations varying by season, highlighting the extent of atmospheric microplastic pollution in one of the world's most polluted cities.
Characterization of airborne microplastics and health risks in high-temperature urban streets: A case study of Nanjing city
Researchers measured airborne microplastics on high-temperature streets in Nanjing, China, and found that hotter ground temperatures significantly increased the release of traffic-related microplastics. Tire wear and road markings were identified as major sources, and health risk modeling showed that daily inhalation exposure could reach concerning levels for both adults and children. The study highlights that people living in hot urban areas with heavy traffic may face higher microplastic exposure through breathing.