Papers

61,005 results
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Review Tier 2

A Review of the Sampling, Analysis, and Identification Techniques of Microplastics in the Air: Insights into PM2.5 and PM10

This review systematically compared methods for sampling, analyzing, and identifying microplastics in air, with special focus on the PM2.5 and PM10 fine particle fractions that are most relevant to human respiratory health. The paper identifies key gaps and recommends standardized protocols to improve comparability of airborne microplastic research.

2025 Polymers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of screening criteria for microplastic particles in air and atmospheric deposition: critical review and applicability towards assessing human exposure

Researchers evaluated 27 studies on microplastics in air and found that most scored below 50% on quality criteria — particularly for contamination controls and measuring particles smaller than 10 micrometers — highlighting the need for standardized methods before reliable human inhalation exposure assessments can be made.

2021 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking Microplastics in the Air: Cutting-edge Methods for Indoor and Outdoor Environments

This study developed a rigorous standardized methodology for sampling and characterizing airborne microplastics in both indoor and outdoor environments, using sonication to separate particulate matter fractions from quartz filter paper. The approach improves quantification comparability across studies, addressing a major limitation in the fragmented airborne microplastic literature.

2024 Aerosol and Air Quality Research 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Contextual existence of an optimum through-plane orientation and aspect ratio of a fiber-segment in fibrous air filters

Not relevant to microplastics — this study uses computational fluid dynamics to model how the orientation and shape of fiber segments in air filters affect airborne particle capture efficiency and pressure drop.

2024 Physics of Fluids 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of a standardized methodology for the identification and characterization of airborne microplastics in working spaces

Researchers developed a standardized methodology for identifying and characterizing microplastics in both indoor and outdoor atmospheric samples. The protocol addresses the lack of consistent methods for airborne microplastic monitoring, which is important given the high amount of time people spend indoors.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Unveiling Microplastic Pollution in the Air: Optimizing filter material and Work-up in PM10 studies

Researchers optimized filter material selection and sample preparation protocols for PM10 aerosol studies targeting airborne microplastics, finding that filter type significantly affects microplastic recovery and that careful blanking and contamination controls are essential.

2024
Article Tier 2

The use of reference material in microplastic research: general aspects

This paper discussed general considerations for using certified reference materials in microplastic research, arguing that standardized reference materials are essential for ensuring that measurements are reproducible and comparable across different laboratories and studies. The lack of such standards remains a major limitation in the field.

2017
Article Tier 2

Development of a standardized methodology for the identification and characterization of airborne microplastics in working spaces

Researchers developed a standardized methodology for identifying and characterizing microplastics in both outdoor and indoor atmospheric samples, addressing the absence of harmonized protocols that limits comparability across airborne microplastic studies. The standardized approach improved reproducibility and allowed more accurate assessment of human inhalation exposure in different environments.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Quantification of microplastics: Which parameters are essential for a reliable inter-study comparison?

Inconsistent measurement methods make it very difficult to compare microplastic data across studies. This paper proposes standardized guidelines for quantifying microplastic size and shape distributions, which would allow scientists to better track pollution levels over time and across locations.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Sampling strategies and analytical techniques for assessment of airborne micro and nano plastics

This review evaluates sampling strategies and analytical techniques for assessing airborne micro- and nanoplastics in indoor and outdoor environments, highlighting methodological limitations and the lack of standardization that hinder cross-study comparisons.

2023 Environment International 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics science: collecting and characterizing airborne microplastics in fine particulate matter

Researchers developed and evaluated methods for collecting and characterizing airborne microplastics smaller than 2.5 micrometers for toxicological assessment. They found that a variety of microplastics in the respirable size range of 0.1 to 1 micrometer were present in personal, indoor, and outdoor air samples. The study highlights challenges in identifying airborne microplastics after cellular exposure and emphasizes the need for optimized analytical methods to better understand inhalation risks.

2021 Nanotoxicology 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative evaluation of filtration and imaging properties of analytical filters for microplastic capture and analysis

Researchers compared five analytical filter types for microplastic capture and analysis, evaluating their filtration efficiency and imaging properties to help standardize methods and improve the reliability of microplastic quantification across laboratories.

2023 Chemosphere 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments of a developing country in South Asia: abundance, distribution, morphology, and possible sources

Researchers quantified airborne microplastic concentrations in indoor and outdoor environments in a South Asian developing country, characterizing particle abundance, size distribution, morphology, and potential sources, finding significant microplastic air pollution in a lower-middle-income country context.

2022 Figshare 1 citations
Article Tier 2

A Standard Terminology for the Description of Fibrous Microplastics from Textiles

This paper tackles the confusing terminology around tiny plastic fibers shed from textiles, which account for roughly 35% of microplastics released into the environment. The authors propose a standardized definition for fiber-shaped microplastics to help researchers compare results across studies and better track this major source of plastic pollution.

2024 Advances in science and technology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Particles and fragments in unused disposable face masks: A microscopic analysis

Researchers microscopically examined commercially available surgical masks and found particles and fragments in the 2–40 micrometer range on fiber surfaces inside all masks tested, raising questions about whether mask wearers may inhale these microplastic-sized particles.

2022 International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro-Nano-Plastics in the Atmosphere: Methodology for Sampling

This review focuses on methodologies for sampling micro-nano-plastics (MNPs) from the atmosphere, addressing the absence of a standardized procedure for collection and size fractionation that currently hinders comparison of results across research groups studying atmospheric plastic aerosol.

2023 Preprints.org 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation and Analysis of Standard Microplastics

Researchers prepared and characterized standard microplastic samples from synthetic textiles, finding that microfilaments shed by fabrics are the dominant form and proposing methods for creating consistent reference materials for environmental monitoring studies.

2022 Environmental sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Atmosphere: Methodology for Microplastics Size-Fractionation Sampling

This review evaluates current sampling and size fractionation methods used for measuring micro- and nanoplastics in the atmosphere. Researchers found that the lack of standardized procedures makes it difficult to compare results across different studies. The study proposes a simplified, streamlined methodology that could improve consistency in atmospheric microplastic monitoring worldwide.

2024 Microplastics 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparision of air sampling techniques to analyse microplastics during plastic recycling

Researchers compared air sampling methods for measuring microplastics released during plastic recycling operations, evaluating capture efficiency and particle size coverage. The study identified which sampling approaches are most suitable for characterizing worker inhalation exposure in recycling facilities.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Morphological and Chemical Analysis of Indoor Airborne Microplastics: Implications for Human Health in Ahvaz, Iran

Researchers collected indoor airborne microplastics and performed detailed morphological and chemical characterization, assessing the particle types, polymer identities, and surface properties of what people inhale in enclosed spaces. The study found a diverse mixture of synthetic fiber fragments and plastic particles in indoor air.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics in the air: a review

This review examines the occurrence, sources, physicochemical characteristics, and sampling and analytical methods for microplastics and nanoplastics in atmospheric air across urban, industrial, coastal, and remote environments. The authors find that fibers and fragments are the dominant atmospheric microplastic forms, that no standardized sampling methods currently exist, and that both passive and active collection approaches are used across the literature with limited comparability.

2025 Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology/Science and Technology
Article Tier 2

The Current Status of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics Research: Characterization, Analytical Methods, Fate, and Human Health Risk

This review synthesizes current knowledge on atmospheric micro- and nanoplastics, covering their characterization, analytical methods, environmental fate, and human health risks while highlighting the need for standardized sampling protocols to enable cross-study comparisons.

2022 Aerosol and Air Quality Research 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of the Morphological and Chemical Profile of Different Families of Microplastics in Samples of Breathable Air

Researchers characterized the morphological and chemical profiles of airborne microplastics collected from breathable air samples, finding diverse polymer types and particle shapes and examining how these particles are transported through the atmosphere to the air people breathe.

2023 Molecules 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Development and testing of a fractionated filtration for sampling of microplastics in water

Researchers developed and tested a fractionated filtration system for sampling microplastics in water bodies, proposing a standardized sampling concept that accounts for plastic-specific properties to improve comparability of microplastic data across different studies and environments.

2018 Water Research 101 citations