Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) in urban air: polymer composition, interactions and inhalation risk

Researchers characterized airborne micro- and nanoplastics in urban air using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry on size-fractionated aerosol samples. The study found total concentrations averaging 0.6 micrograms per cubic meter, with tire wear particles as a dominant source, highlighting an underestimated threat to urban air quality and human respiratory health.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic and rubber polymers in urban PM10 by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Researchers developed a method to measure microplastic and rubber particles in urban air pollution (PM10) using pyrolysis and mass spectrometry. They found that plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene, and tire wear particles accounted for 1-3% of total airborne particulate matter sampled at a busy street in Helsinki. The findings confirm that people in urban areas are continuously inhaling microplastic and rubber particles from traffic and other sources.

2025 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 2 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

Mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubbers in urban air

Researchers measured mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubber particles in ambient urban air, providing quantitative data on airborne plastic pollution that is scarce compared to research on aquatic environments. Tire wear particles were identified as a significant component of airborne plastic contamination in urban settings.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubbers in urban air

Researchers measured mass concentrations of common microplastics and tire wear rubber particles in urban ambient air, providing quantitative data for inhalation exposure assessment. Tire wear rubber dominated the airborne particle mass in traffic-influenced areas, exceeding concentrations of synthetic polymer microplastics.

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

A novel method for the quantification of tire and polymer-modified bitumen particles in environmental samples by pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectroscopy

Researchers developed a novel pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry method for quantifying tire and polymer-modified bitumen particles in environmental samples, improving the detection of what may be the largest source of microplastic pollution.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 108 citations
Article Tier 2

A Novel Strategy to Directly Quantify Polyethylene Microplastics in PM2.5 Based on Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Researchers developed a new method using pyrolysis gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to directly measure polyethylene microplastics in fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5). This technique overcomes limitations of visual and spectroscopic methods that struggle to detect very small plastic particles in air samples. The study provides one of the first tools for accurately quantifying microplastics in PM2.5, helping researchers better understand the extent of airborne plastic pollution.

2023 Analytical Chemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Fine micro- and nanoplastics particles (PM2.5) in urban air and their relation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Researchers measured ultrafine micro- and nanoplastics in urban air at the individual polymer level for the first time, finding correlations between airborne plastic particle concentrations and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, suggesting plastics act as carriers for toxic compounds.

2023 Atmospheric Environment 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS method for the target/untargeted analysis of microplastics in air

Researchers developed a pyrolysis-gas chromatography method coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry for detecting microplastics in air samples. The technique was optimized for ten common plastic polymers and achieved detection limits in the low microgram range. The study demonstrates that this analytical approach can identify both known and unknown plastic polymers in airborne particulate matter.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Effectiveness of pyrolysis coupled with thermal desorption for the analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in Asian urban outdoor atmosphere using pyrolysis-GC/MS

Researchers compared single-shot pyrolysis and double-shot pyrolysis coupled with thermal desorption using pyrolysis-GC/MS for detecting and quantifying micro- and nanoplastics in urban outdoor air samples from Asian cities, finding that double-shot analysis provides improved characterisation of airborne plastic particles including sub-micrometre sizes.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Contaminants Research
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and backtracking of microplastic mass loads including tire wear particles in northern Atlantic air

Researchers used active air sampling devices during a research cruise along the Norwegian coast to the Arctic to measure microplastic mass loads in the marine atmosphere, including tire wear particles, analyzed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. They found microplastics were omnipresent even in remote Arctic sampling areas, with polyethylene terephthalate ubiquitous and tire wear particles reaching up to 35 ng/m3, and atmospheric transport models indicating both sea-based and land-based emission sources.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

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

Modelled atmospheric concentration of tyre wear in an urban environment

Researchers modeled airborne concentrations of tire wear particles — tiny plastic-containing fragments released when vehicle tires rub against road surfaces — across Stockholm, finding that these microplastic particles are widespread in cities and make up 4–6% of total air particle pollution, with concentrations highest near busy highways and in narrow street canyons.

2023 Atmospheric Environment X 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic burning: An important global source of atmospheric nanoplastic particles

Researchers conducted smoldering laboratory experiments with PVC, PP, LDPE, PET, and PS plastics and used aerosol mass spectrometry to characterise the physical and chemical properties of nanoplastic particles emitted, finding that plastic burning generates large quantities of nanoplastics and thermo-oxidation products that represent a significant but poorly quantified global source of atmospheric nano-sized plastic particles.

2025
Article Tier 2

Airborne Microplastic in the Atmospheric Deposition and How to Identify and Quantify the Threat: Semi-Quantitative Approach Based on Kraków Case Study

Researchers developed semi-quantitative methods using ATR-FTIR, Py-GC-MS, and SEM-EDS to identify and characterize airborne microplastics in atmospheric deposition in Krakow, identifying multiple polymer types and tracking their seasonal variation.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 31 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

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

This study quantified microplastics and plastic polymer additives in airborne particulate matter collected from indoor and outdoor environments, characterizing the contribution of plastic particles to inhalation exposure. Microplastics and associated additives were detected in breathable air, supporting inhalation as a significant route of human plastic exposure.

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

Characterization of Airborne Microplastics Particles on Urban Roads: Types, Sizes, and Total Particles

Researchers collected airborne microplastic samples from urban road environments and characterized particle types, sizes, color distributions, and polymer compositions, finding tire-wear rubber and paint fragments alongside fiber and film fragments from packaging and textiles.

2025 JURNAL KESEHATAN LINGKUNGAN
Article Tier 2

Size-Resolved Identification and Quantification of Micro/Nanoplastics in Indoor Air Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography–Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

Scientists developed a new method to measure micro and nanoplastics in indoor air down to 56 nanometers in size, using advanced mass spectrometry techniques. They found significant concentrations of plastic particles in both a laboratory and a private home, with polystyrene being the most common type, and also detected flame retardant chemicals associated with plastic furniture foam. This study provides some of the first evidence that people are breathing in substantial amounts of nanoscale plastic particles indoors, where most people spend the majority of their time.

2024 Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics analysis: can we carry out a polymeric characterisation of atmospheric aerosol using direct inlet Py-GC/MS?

Researchers tested pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for detecting polymer particles in atmospheric aerosol samples, proposing a novel method to calculate an organic baseline that accounts for interference from natural organic matter on filter samples.

2023 Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 45 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel application of thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry for polystyrene quantification in the PM10 and PM2.5 fractions of airborne microplastics

Researchers developed a thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry method to quantify airborne polystyrene microplastics and found that most airborne polystyrene exists in the lung-penetrating PM2.5 fraction, with agricultural practices identified as a likely source.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 37 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)