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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Airborne microplastics in China: Assessing urbanization, weather factors and policy implications from the nationwide study
ClearVarious 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.
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.
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.
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.
Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in the megalopolis (Shanghai) during rainy season: Characteristics, influence factors, and source
Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in Shanghai during the rainy season, finding that rainfall events significantly increased deposition rates, with fibers dominating and sources linked to both local urban activities and long-range atmospheric transport.
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.
Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in a rural region of North China Plain
Researchers investigated atmospheric microplastic deposition in a rural area of the North China Plain, finding significant quantities of microplastics deposited through both dry and wet pathways, with fibers and polyethylene being the dominant types.
Spatiotemporal distribution and potential sources of atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment of Northwest China
Atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment in northwest China ranged from 79.5 to 810.0 particles per square meter per day, with peak deposition in summer, fibres and fragments dominating, and source analysis pointing to local plastic products and waste as primary contributors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Atmospheric microplastics in rainfalls in the megacity of Hangzhou: Morphology, composition, and deposition flux
Microplastics in rainfall across Hangzhou, China were found in all wet deposition samples, with fibers dominating, and deposition flux correlated with rainfall intensity and industrial activity patterns — highlighting urban wet deposition as a significant microplastic transport pathway.
Atmospheric deposition of microplastics at a western China metropolis: Relationship with underlying surface types and human exposure
Researchers measured microplastic fallout from the atmosphere in Chengdu, China, and found that the type of ground surface below -- urban, green space, or mixed -- influenced how much airborne microplastic accumulated. Using a probability model, they estimated that people are exposed to significant amounts of airborne microplastics during outdoor activities, adding to the growing evidence that we inhale these particles daily.
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.
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.
Seasonal patterns and environmental drivers of atmospheric microplastics in a coastal megacity
Researchers conducted a year-long monitoring campaign of atmospheric microplastics in Shanghai to understand seasonal patterns and environmental drivers. The study identified distinct temporal dynamics in airborne microplastic concentrations in this coastal megacity, revealing how weather patterns, wind, and human activities influence atmospheric microplastic levels throughout the year.
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.
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.
Characteristics, sources and influencing factors of atmospheric deposition of microplastics in three different ecosystems of Beijing, China
Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition across forest, agricultural, and residential ecosystems in Beijing, finding that residential areas had the highest deposition fluxes, with PET and rayon fibers being the dominant types.
Occurrence, characteristics, and factors influencing the atmospheric microplastics around Jiaozhou Bay, the Yellow Sea
Atmospheric microplastics collected around Jiaozhou Bay in China were deposited at rates of up to 80 items per square meter per day, with seasonal variation driven by monsoons — higher deposition in dry seasons — and fragments and polyethylene being the dominant forms. The estimated annual input of microplastics into this bay via atmospheric deposition alone is over 7.6 tons, highlighting that air-to-sea transfer is a substantial and seasonally dynamic pathway for marine microplastic contamination.
Spatial distribution of atmospheric microplastics in bulk-deposition of urban and rural environments – A one-year follow-up study in northern Germany
Researchers conducted a year-long study of atmospheric microplastic deposition across urban and rural sites in northern Germany, finding spatial and temporal variation in microplastic fallout patterns that help quantify environmental input rates.
Characterization 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.
An important source of terrestrial microplastics‐atmospheric deposition: A microplastics survey based on Shaanxi, China
A six-month atmospheric sampling campaign across ten cities in Shaanxi Province, China detected microplastics in all air deposition samples, including both wet (rain/snow) and dry deposition. The most abundant polymer types were PET, polyacrylonitrile, PE, and PP — consistent with textiles and packaging as key sources — and concentrations were highest in the provincial capital Xi'an, correlating with urban population density. The study confirms that atmospheric fallout is a significant and widespread route by which microplastics enter terrestrial environments far from any obvious plastic source.