Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Atmospheric Microplastic Particulate Matter in an Urban Roadside: Case of Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia

Researchers sampled airborne microplastics at four locations across Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia, including industrial zones, residential neighborhoods, busy roads, and the city center. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from 0.002 to 0.02 particles per cubic meter of air, with fibrous shapes and PET plastic most common. Industrial areas had the highest total particulate levels, and northern parts of the city appear to be a likely source of airborne microplastics carried by traffic. This study adds to growing evidence that city dwellers are breathing in microplastics simply from the air around them.

2025 Jurnal Presipitasi Media Komunikasi dan Pengembangan Teknik Lingkungan 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in the Ambient Air of Surabaya, Indonesia

Airborne microplastics were measured at three roadside sites in Surabaya, Indonesia, finding fibers as the dominant shape and highest concentrations at high-traffic sites, with FTIR identifying a range of polymer types. The study provides the first microplastic pollution data for Indonesian urban air and demonstrates a traffic-density relationship with atmospheric microplastic levels.

2019 Current World Environment 79 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of fibrous suspended atmospheric microplastics in Bandung Metropolitan Area, Indonesia

Researchers identified fibrous atmospheric microplastics in total suspended particulates across commercial and residential areas of the Bandung Metropolitan Area, Indonesia, finding that urban commercial zones contained higher concentrations of airborne microplastic fibers than suburban residential areas.

2022 Chemosphere 31 citations
Article Tier 2

First quantification and chemical characterization of atmospheric microplastics observed in Seoul, South Korea

Researchers conducted the first measurement of airborne microplastics across five outdoor sites in Seoul, South Korea, finding plastic particles everywhere from business districts to urban forests. Microplastic levels were higher in areas with more human activity and during weekdays versus weekends. Polypropylene and PET were the most common types, suggesting that everyday plastic products are a major source of airborne microplastic pollution in cities.

2023 Environmental Pollution 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristic of microplastics in suspended particulate, a case study in street of Yogyakarta

Researchers examined microplastic contamination in road dust and suspended particles in the streets of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They found that microplastics were present across sampling sites, with vehicle tires and road marking paint identified as primary sources. The study highlights urban transportation as a significant contributor to airborne microplastic pollution.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Breathing plastics in Metro Manila, Philippines: Presence of suspended atmospheric microplastics in ambient air

Researchers detected suspended atmospheric microplastics in ambient air samples from 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines, confirming that urban air in Southeast Asia contains respirable plastic particles and raising concern about inhalation exposure among dense urban populations.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 4 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Johnson Matthey Technology Review
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution Model in Ambient Air PM2.5 Around the Medan Industrial Area, North Sumatra

Researchers investigated the distribution of microplastics in fine particulate matter around an industrial area in Medan, North Sumatra, finding between 41 and 92 particles per sample. The dominant form was fragments, making up 62% of detected microplastics, and their distribution was influenced by wind direction and nearby pollution sources. The study suggests that industrial areas are significant contributors to airborne microplastic contamination in the surrounding environment.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploration of microplastic concentration in indoor and outdoor air samples: Morphological, polymeric, and elemental analysis

Researchers measured airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments in Islamabad, Pakistan, finding that indoor air contained nearly five times more microplastics than outdoor air. Classrooms had the highest contamination at about 6 particles per cubic meter, with fibers being the most common shape and polyester (PET) the most common plastic type. These findings highlight that people are continuously inhaling microplastics, especially indoors.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 72 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidences of Microplastic in Air and Street Dust: A Case Study of Varanasi City, India

Researchers measured microplastics in air and street dust samples from multiple sites in Varanasi, India, finding plastic particles in all samples including suspended and settled dust. The study adds to evidence that urban air and dust are important but underappreciated sources of human microplastic exposure.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and potential health impacts of microplastics and microrubbers in air and street dusts from Asaluyeh County, Iran

Researchers collected street dust and air samples from an industrial area in Iran and found significant quantities of microplastics and microrubber particles that could be inhaled or ingested by residents. The particles varied widely in size, color, and polymer type, with concentrations highest near industrial and urban zones. The study provides some of the first evidence that airborne microplastics in terrestrial environments represent a meaningful human exposure pathway.

2018 Environmental Pollution 719 citations
Article Tier 2

[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.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne Microplastics in Indoor and Outdoor Environments at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Campus

Researchers collected airborne microplastic samples from indoor and outdoor environments at a Malaysian university campus, finding microplastics present in all locations with higher concentrations indoors and fiber morphologies predominating, suggesting occupants are continually exposed via inhalation.

2025 Journal of Advanced Research in Micro and Nano Engieering
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 170 citations
Article Tier 2

Accurate quantification and transport estimation of suspended atmospheric microplastics in megacities: Implications for human health

Researchers developed an improved sampling methodology for accurately quantifying suspended atmospheric microplastics in megacities. They found a significant relationship between sampling volume and particle counts, and identified that PET fibers and fragments dominated airborne microplastics, with plastic microbeads also detected in air for the first time. Using atmospheric modeling, the study estimated that megacities can transport substantial quantities of airborne microplastics to surrounding regions, with implications for human inhalation exposure.

2019 Environment International 316 citations
Article Tier 2

An Occupant-Based Overview of Microplastics in Indoor Environments in the City of Surabaya, Indonesia

Airborne microplastic deposition in settled indoor dust was measured in residential and commercial buildings in a city environment, providing an occupant-based assessment of indoor microplastic exposure. Microplastics smaller than 5 mm were deposited at measurable rates in all sampled indoor settings, with fiber shapes dominating the settled dust contamination.

2020 Journal of Ecological Engineering 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) in urban air: polymer composition, interactions and inhalation risk

Researchers characterized airborne micro- and nanoplastics in urban air using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on size-fractionated aerosol samples. The study found total concentrations averaging 0.6 micrograms per cubic meter, with tire wear particles as a dominant source, highlighting an underestimated threat to urban air quality and human respiratory health.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the atmosphere of Ahvaz City, Iran

Researchers characterized airborne microplastics in Ahvaz, Iran, finding that all detected particles were fibrous, predominantly polyester and nylon, with higher concentrations in urban areas compared to residential locations.

2022 Journal of Environmental Sciences 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastics in the roadside and residential areas of Southern Thailand

Researchers assessed airborne microplastic contamination in roadside and residential areas across nine districts in southern Thailand. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from 0.09 to 1.54 particles per cubic meter, with particles smaller than 100 micrometers predominating in all samples. The study identified fragments and black-colored particles as the most common types, with polymer analysis revealing a diverse mix of plastic materials in the air.

2024 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Airborne Microplastics on Induced Sputum of Urban Dwellers: the Role of Environmental and Occupational Factors

Researchers analyzed induced sputum samples from 25 patients with respiratory diseases and found microplastics present in all samples, with concentrations ranging from 6 to 500 particles per 100 mL. Active smokers and workers in occupations with high plastic exposure had significantly higher microplastic concentrations. The study suggests that airborne microplastic inhalation is widespread among urban residents and may be influenced by both lifestyle and occupational factors.

2024 WIT transactions on ecology and the environment 3 citations