Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

A fluorescence approach for an online measurement technique of atmospheric microplastics

Researchers developed a fluorescence-based approach for online, real-time detection of individual atmospheric microplastic particles, addressing the current gap in monitoring sources, transport, and abundance of airborne MPs.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

In situ chemical characterization of airborne nanoplastic particles by aerosol mass spectrometry

Researchers used aerosol mass spectrometry to chemically characterize airborne nanoplastic particles in real time in urban air. They detected multiple polymer types including polyethylene and polystyrene at concentrations that varied with location and weather conditions. This approach enables in situ monitoring of atmospheric nanoplastics without sample collection, advancing understanding of human inhalation exposure.

2023
Article Tier 2

A fluorescence approach for an online measurement technique of atmospheric microplastics

Scientists developed a fluorescence-based instrument that can detect airborne microplastic particles in real time, rather than requiring slow laboratory analysis. The tool successfully identified common plastic types like PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene as individual particles in the air. This technology could help researchers better understand how much microplastic people are actually breathing in, which is important for assessing respiratory health risks from airborne plastic pollution.

2024 Environmental Science Atmospheres 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Online in situ detection of atmospheric microplastics based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Researchers developed a laser-based detection system combined with machine learning that can identify and classify different types of microplastics in the air in real time. The system achieved high accuracy in distinguishing between common plastic types like polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC. Better tools for monitoring airborne microplastics are important because people inhale these particles daily, and understanding what types are present in the air is the first step toward assessing respiratory health risks.

2025 Journal of Laser Applications 5 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 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

Merging holography, fluorescence, and machine learning for in situ continuous characterization and classification of airborne microplastics

Researchers developed an instrument combining holography, fluorescence, and machine learning for continuous, real-time characterization of airborne microplastics. The system can identify and classify microplastic particles in situ without requiring laboratory sample collection and analysis. The study represents an advance in monitoring technology that could improve understanding of atmospheric microplastic transport and human exposure.

2024 Atmospheric measurement techniques 3 citations
Article Tier 2

HoLDI mass spectrometry for rapid, solventless detection of airborne nanoplastics and co-occurring aerosol organics

Scientists developed a new, faster way to detect tiny plastic particles floating in the air we breathe, both indoors and outdoors. The method found plastic particles from common materials like polyethylene in indoor air and cancer-causing chemicals attached to nano-sized particles in outdoor air. This breakthrough could help us better understand how much plastic pollution we're breathing in and its potential health risks.

2026
Article Tier 2

Quantitation of Atmospheric Suspended Polystyrene Nanoplastics by Active Sampling Prior to Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Scientists developed a method to measure polystyrene nanoplastics suspended in outdoor air using active air sampling and a specialized chemical analysis technique. They detected nanoplastics at multiple locations, confirming that these ultra-small plastic particles are present in the air we breathe. Since nanoplastics are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and potentially enter the bloodstream, reliable measurement methods like this are critical for understanding airborne exposure risks.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Merging holography, fluorescence, and machine learning for in situ, continuous characterization and classification of airborne microplastics

This study combined holography, fluorescence microscopy, and machine learning for continuous in situ detection and classification of airborne microplastics without the need for sample collection and laboratory analysis. The system enabled real-time characterization of particle size, shape, and type in ambient air.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying the Chemical Composition and Real-Time Mass Loading of Nanoplastic Particles in the Atmosphere Using Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

Scientists developed the first real-time method to measure nanoplastic particles in the air using a specialized instrument called an aerosol mass spectrometer. They detected polystyrene nanoplastics at an urban site in China at concentrations of around 47 nanograms per cubic meter, confirming that we are breathing in tiny plastic particles. This tool could help researchers better understand how much airborne nanoplastic pollution people are actually exposed to.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 32 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025
Article Tier 2

The quantification of the airborne plastic particles of 0.43–11 μm: Procedure development and application to atmospheric environment

Researchers developed a new method for measuring airborne plastic particles as small as 0.43 micrometers, a size range rarely studied before. Testing the approach in real atmospheric conditions, they detected multiple types of plastic polymers in the air, including polyethylene, polystyrene, and PET, providing evidence that people are regularly breathing in ultrafine plastic particles.

2024 Chemosphere 37 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

Automatic pre-screening of outdoor airborne microplastics in micrographs using deep learning

Researchers developed a deep learning system to automatically identify potential microplastic particles in microscope images of outdoor air samples. The system was trained specifically for the challenges of airborne microplastics, which appear differently than those found in water. The tool could significantly speed up air quality monitoring by reducing the time-consuming manual screening process currently required.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Review Tier 2

A review of atmospheric microplastics pollution: In-depth sighting of sources, analytical methods, physiognomies, transport and risks

This review provides an in-depth analysis of atmospheric microplastic pollution, examining sources, detection methods, physical characteristics, transport mechanisms, and health risks. Researchers found that indoor environments tend to contain higher concentrations of airborne microplastics than outdoor settings, and that current detection methods are limited in their ability to capture the smallest particles. The study emphasizes the need for standardized sampling procedures and more research into the health effects of inhaling microplastic particles.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 118 citations
Article Tier 2

High temporal resolution records of outdoor and indoor airborne microplastics

Researchers used a volumetric spore trap to record airborne microplastics at hourly resolution both indoors and outdoors, demonstrating a novel high-temporal-resolution method that reveals detailed patterns in atmospheric microplastic concentrations.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 41 citations
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

A Short Review On Content And Composition Of Airborne Microplastics

This short review synthesizes current knowledge on airborne microplastic concentrations and polymer composition, summarizing monitoring data from indoor and outdoor environments and identifying research gaps in exposure assessment.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic breath: Quantification of microplastics and polymer additives in airborne particles

Researchers quantified microplastics and polymer additives in airborne samples to assess inhalation exposure, finding synthetic particles across multiple size fractions in outdoor air. The study highlights airborne microplastics as a significant and often underestimated route of human plastic exposure.

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

Quantification and identification of airborne small microplastics (<100 μm) and other microlitter components in atmospheric aerosol via a novel elutriation and oleo-extraction method

Researchers developed and optimized a method to quantify and identify small airborne microplastics (5–100 µm) using elutriation, oleoextraction, and purification steps, helping fill a major gap in standardized sampling protocols for atmospheric plastic pollution.

2022 Environmental Pollution 29 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A review of airborne micro- and nano-plastics: Sampling methods, analytical techniques, and exposure risks.

This review of 140 articles on airborne micro- and nanoplastics found that diverse sampling and analytical methods make cross-study comparisons difficult, limiting exposure risk assessment. The authors recommend standardization of methods and highlight that active samplers and FTIR/Raman spectroscopy are the most commonly used approaches for collecting and identifying atmospheric plastic particles.

2024 Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in the Air

This review provides a comprehensive overview of methods for collecting, extracting, and identifying airborne microplastics, examining their sources, transport mechanisms, and persistence in urban and atmospheric environments, and establishing a methodological foundation for future research on microplastic air pollution.

2025
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic review of biomonitoring microplastics in environmental matrices: Emphasis on airborne particles, dry deposits, and comparative analysis with traditional methods

This systematic review examines methods for monitoring microplastics in the air, including airborne particles and deposits. Researchers have found microplastics everywhere from city streets to clouds, underscoring the extent of airborne plastic pollution that people breathe in every day.

2025 Environmental Advances 17 citations