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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Characterization of Microplastics in Clouds over Eastern China
ClearAirborne hydrophilic microplastics in cloud water at high altitudes and their role in cloud formation
Researchers collected cloud water from mountain summits in Japan at altitudes up to 3,776 meters and found microplastics in every sample, including common types like polyethylene and polypropylene. Many of the particles showed signs of degradation and contained water-attracting chemical groups, suggesting they could influence cloud formation by acting as condensation nuclei. The study raises the possibility that airborne microplastics may be affecting weather patterns and climate at a global scale.
Researchers find microplastics in clouds
Scientists found microplastics in cloud water collected from two Japanese mountains, identifying nine types of plastic particles at concentrations of 7-14 pieces per liter. This discovery suggests microplastics may travel long distances through the atmosphere via clouds, potentially spreading pollution far from its original sources.
Adsorption-Driven Cloud Droplet Activation of Fresh and Aged Polypropylene Particles
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in the air can help form clouds and potentially affect weather patterns. When these plastic particles get weathered by sunlight and air pollution, they become much better at attracting water droplets to form clouds compared to fresh plastic particles. This matters because microplastics are now everywhere in our atmosphere, and understanding how they change weather and climate could help us better predict environmental changes that affect human health and agriculture.
Potential impacts of atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics on cloud formation processes
Researchers investigated how atmospheric microplastics and nanoplastics could act as cloud condensation nuclei or ice nucleating particles, potentially affecting cloud formation, precipitation patterns, and Earth's radiation balance at sufficient concentrations.
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.
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.
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.
Various 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.
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.
Quick analysis of the influence of the monsoon on the concentration of microplastics in the air
Researchers analysed how monsoon rainfall affected atmospheric microplastic concentrations, finding that precipitation events redistributed plastic particles and temporarily increased concentrations of certain polymer types in air samples. The study identifies rainwater as both a carrier and a concentrating medium for atmospheric microplastics.
Microplastics in Precipitation: Analyzing Altitudinal Influence on Atmospheric Deposition Patterns
Researchers found an inverse relationship between altitude and microplastic deposition in Central Himalayan precipitation, collecting rainfall and snowfall across eight sites from 445 m to 3,378 m elevation and characterizing microplastics by concentration, size distribution, and polymer composition.
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.
Occurrence of microplastics in the seawater and atmosphere of the South China Sea: Pollution patterns and interrelationship
Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in both seawater and the atmosphere of the South China Sea, revealing distribution patterns and an interrelationship between marine and airborne microplastic contamination in the region.
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.
Wet Deposition of Globally Transportable Microplastics (<25 μm) Hovering over the Megacity of Beijing
Researchers detected microplastics in all 10 rainfall events sampled in Beijing, with concentrations up to 136,778 particles per cubic meter of rainwater. Nearly 40% of the particles were smaller than 25 micrometers, a size small enough to travel long distances through the atmosphere and be inhaled deep into the lungs. This study shows that rain washes airborne microplastics out of the sky and onto cities, contributing to human exposure through both air and water.
Quantification and characterization of airborne microplastics in the coastal area of Terengganu, Malaysia
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in a coastal city in Malaysia and found an average of about 5,476 particles per square meter per day, with fibers making up over 99% of what was collected. Heavy metals like aluminum and cadmium were found attached to the surface of these airborne particles. The study shows that people in coastal areas are breathing in microplastics that may also carry toxic metals, raising concerns about the combined health effects of inhaling contaminated plastic particles.
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.
Characteristics, distribution patterns and sources of atmospheric microplastics in the Bohai and Yellow Seas, China
Researchers investigated the characteristics, distribution patterns, and sources of atmospheric microplastics over the Bohai and Yellow Seas in China during summer and autumn 2022. The study provides new data on airborne microplastic pollution over oceanic regions, an area where information has been limited.
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.
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 deposition of microplastics: a sampling and analytical method including the associated measurement uncertainties
Researchers developed a tailored analytical chain for atmospheric microplastic sampling — including collection, processing, and optical microscopy-based analysis — and applied it to quantify atmospheric deposition of microplastics and assess the atmosphere as a vector of global microplastic distribution.
Atmospheric microplastics in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean: Distribution, source, and deposition
Researchers documented atmospheric microplastic distribution in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, finding abundances ranging from 0.0046 to higher levels and identifying sources and deposition patterns that contribute to marine microplastic pollution from airborne transport.
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.
Characteristics, sources and potential ecological risk of atmospheric microplastics in Lhasa city
Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastics collected at a monitoring site, identifying their sources, size distribution, polymer composition, and potential ecological risks from aerial deposition to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.