Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Novel Single-Particle Analytical Technique for Inhalable Airborne Microplastic Particles by the Combined Use of Fluorescence Microscopy, Raman Microspectrometry, and SEM/EDX

Researchers developed a novel single-particle analytical method combining fluorescence microscopy, Raman microspectrometry, and SEM/EDX to characterize inhalable airborne microplastics smaller than 10 µm in ambient PM10 aerosols, addressing a critical gap in understanding respiratory exposure to plastic particles.

2023
Article Tier 2

Novel Single-Particle Analytical Technique for Inhalable Airborne Microplastic Particles by the Combined Use of Fluorescence Microscopy, Raman Microspectrometry, and SEM/EDX

Researchers developed a new method combining fluorescence microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy to analyze individual airborne microplastic particles small enough to inhale. The technique can identify both the polymer type and chemical composition of particles under 10 micrometers found in urban air samples. Better tools for characterizing breathable microplastics are essential for understanding respiratory exposure risks.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman Microscopy and Pyrolysis GC/MS for Comprehensive Analysis of PM10 Microplastics: Method Development and Urban-Rural Comparison

Researchers developed and validated a combined Raman microscopy and pyrolysis GC/MS method for comprehensive analysis of microplastics in PM10 airborne particulate matter, comparing urban and rural samples. Both methods detected microplastics in PM10 from all sites, with higher concentrations in urban air, and the combination provided complementary information on polymer composition and particle morphology.

2025
Article Tier 2

Analytical Challenges and Strategies for Particle-Based Analysis of Airborne Micro(nano)plastics in Size-Fractionated Samples Using Microscopy, SEM/EDX, and Raman Spectroscopy

This review covered analytical strategies for characterizing airborne microplastics as particles, addressing sampling challenges, detection methods including spectroscopy, and the importance of particle-level analysis for accurate exposure assessment. It identified key methodological gaps and recommended standardization approaches.

2024 Analytical Chemistry 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of Microplastics in Ambient Particulate Matter Using Raman Spectral Imaging and Chemometric Analysis

Researchers optimized Raman spectral imaging combined with chemometric analysis to detect and identify microplastics in ambient airborne particulate matter at sizes down to 2 micrometers. The study demonstrates a method for spectroscopically verifying the chemical composition of airborne microplastics, addressing concerns about human inhalation exposure to small plastic particles that can reach the lungs.

2020 Analytical Chemistry 176 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhalable microplastics prevails in air: Exploring the size detection limit

Researchers developed a method using Raman microscopy to detect airborne microplastics as small as 1 micrometer, significantly improving upon previous detection limits. They found that the number of microplastics in air samples increased dramatically when smaller particles were counted, with inhalable-sized particles being the most prevalent. The findings suggest that current estimates of human microplastic exposure through breathing may substantially undercount the actual amount.

2022 Environment International 142 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman Spectral Imaging for the Detection of Inhalable Microplastics in Ambient Particulate Matter Samples

Researchers developed a filter-based sampling method compatible with Raman spectral imaging to detect inhalable-sized microplastics in ambient air samples. They successfully identified and mapped plastic particles as small as a few micrometers on sampling filters. The study provides a practical new analytical approach for measuring airborne microplastic exposure, an area where reliable detection methods have been lacking.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 143 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Urban Ambient Air: A Rapid Review of Active Sampling and Analytical Methods for Human Risk Assessment

This review evaluated methods for sampling and analyzing microplastics in outdoor urban air to assess human health risks. Active air sampling combined with advanced techniques like micro-Raman spectroscopy can measure the smallest inhalable particles, which are most relevant to health. The authors found that fibers are the most common airborne microplastic and stress that better standardized methods are needed to understand how much microplastic people actually breathe in.

2024 Environments 10 citations
Article Tier 2

A Study on the Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in the Atmosphere Using Spectroscopic Analysis

Using micro-Raman spectroscopy, researchers identified and characterized microplastics in atmospheric fine dust samples collected with a high-volume air sampler. The study confirms that microplastics are present in fine airborne particulates, contributing to evidence that humans are exposed to plastic particles through inhalation.

2023 Journal of Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology 1 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

PM10 microplastics in indoor air: assessment of human exposure by inhalation in residential and car cabin environments

This study measured inhalable PM10-sized microplastics (1–10 µm) in indoor air from residential homes and car cabins using Raman spectroscopy. The researchers assessed how much of these lung-penetrating particles people inhale daily in everyday indoor environments.

2024 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Correlative SEM-Raman microscopy to reveal nanoplastics in complex environments

Researchers developed a correlative approach combining scanning electron microscopy and Raman microscopy to detect and identify nanoplastics as small as 100 nanometers in complex environmental samples. The method was tested on various matrices and successfully identified individual plastic nanoparticles that would be missed by conventional techniques. The study represents a significant advance in analytical capability for studying the smallest and most challenging size fraction of plastic pollution.

2021 Micron 58 citations
Article Tier 2

A Trial Survey on Atmospheric/Airborne Microplastics Using Micro-Raman Spectroscopy (μRaman)

This Japanese study conducted what is described as the country's first airborne microplastic survey using micro-Raman spectroscopy, detecting an average of 0.52 microplastic particles per cubic meter of air across four sites including urban, rural, and remote locations. Finding microplastics even in relatively clean air environments suggests that no location is free from airborne plastic exposure, raising concerns about inhalation as a widespread route of human exposure.

2024 Journal of Environmental Chemistry 2 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

Every breath you take: High concentration of breathable microplastics in indoor environments

Researchers measured airborne microplastics inside homes and offices using Raman spectroscopy and found concentrations ranging from 58 to 684 particles per cubic meter, with most particles small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs. A standard surgical face mask blocked about 85% of airborne microplastics overall but was less effective (58%) for the smallest breathable particles. Without protection, people may inhale over 3,400 microplastic particles per day from indoor air alone.

2024 Chemosphere 30 citations
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

Size-resolved identification and quantification of micro/nano-plastics in indoor air using pyrolysis gas chromatography-ion mobility mass spectrometry

A novel pyrolysis gas chromatographic cyclic ion mobility mass spectrometer method was developed to identify and quantify micro- and nanoplastics smaller than 1 micrometer in indoor air, finding four common plastic types in tested samples.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic and nanoplastic analysis in drinking water and indoor air with Raman micro-spectroscopy

Raman micro-spectroscopy was used to detect and characterize micro- and nanoplastics in drinking water and indoor air, demonstrating the technique's value for assessing human exposure to plastic particles across multiple environments.

2023
Article Tier 2

Morphological and chemical analysis of indoor airborne microplastics: implications for human health in Ahvaz, Iran

Researchers analyzed airborne microplastics inside homes, offices, and commercial buildings in Ahvaz, Iran, finding significant concentrations that vary by building type and season. Using Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy, they identified various polymer types and estimated annual inhaled doses based on typical occupancy patterns. The study found that people may be inhaling meaningful amounts of microplastics indoors, where they spend most of their time, posing potential respiratory and other health risks.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition studies of microplastics in Central Germany

Researchers monitored microplastic particles falling from the air in Central Germany over eight months and detected plastic in all wet deposition (rain) samples and half of dry deposition samples, with polypropylene being the most common type. A deeper Raman analysis revealed that standard detection methods may underestimate actual microplastic air pollution by at least ten times, highlighting a large blind spot in atmospheric monitoring.

2024 Air Quality Atmosphere & Health 28 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
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

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

Evidence and Mass Quantification of Atmospheric Microplastics in a Coastal New Zealand City

Researchers quantified atmospheric microplastic deposition in Auckland, New Zealand, combining fluorescence microscopy with pyrolysis-GC/MS to determine both particle counts and mass concentrations of specific polymers in airborne samples.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 81 citations