Papers

61,005 results
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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

Status and prospects of atmospheric microplastics: A review of methods, occurrence, composition, source and health risks

This review summarized the sampling methods, occurrence, composition, sources, and health risks of atmospheric microplastics. Researchers found that airborne microplastics are detected both indoors and outdoors, with fibers being the most common shape, and that inhalation represents an important but understudied exposure pathway. The study suggests that atmospheric transport plays a significant role in the global distribution of microplastic pollution.

2022 Environmental Pollution 74 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

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

An emerging class of air pollutants: Potential effects of microplastics to respiratory human health?

This review explores the emerging concern that airborne microplastics can be inhaled by humans, potentially causing adverse effects on the respiratory system. Researchers compiled available data on the concentration, size, shape, and chemical composition of microplastic particles found in urban air. The findings suggest that airborne plastic debris represents a largely understudied class of air pollutant with potential implications for human health.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 406 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
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Physical characteristics of microplastic particles and potential for global atmospheric transport: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to examine the physical characteristics of airborne microplastics and how they travel through the atmosphere. The findings confirm that microplastics can be transported globally by wind, meaning people everywhere are breathing in these particles regardless of how far they live from pollution sources.

2023 Environmental Pollution 45 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

Does microplastic really represent a threat? A review of the atmospheric contamination sources and potential impacts

This review examines airborne microplastics as emerging atmospheric contaminants that people inevitably inhale during normal breathing. Researchers found that fibers from synthetic textiles are the most common form of airborne microplastics, and their small size allows them to remain suspended in air and potentially cause health problems. The study discusses analytical methods used to measure airborne microplastics and calls for more research into their environmental and health impacts.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 128 citations
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

A comprehensive review of micro- and nano-plastics in the atmosphere: Occurrence, fate, toxicity, and strategies for risk reduction.

This review examines a decade of research on micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) in the atmosphere, covering their occurrence in outdoor and indoor air, toxicological effects on human health, and strategies to reduce exposure risk from inhalation of airborne plastic particles.

2023 The Science of the total environment
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
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in air: a hidden public health threat

This short review explains how microplastics become airborne from land, ocean, and industrial sources and are transported globally through the atmosphere, potentially entering the human body through inhalation. The author frames airborne microplastics as a hidden public health threat warranting greater scientific and regulatory attention.

2022 Journal of Research in Atmospheric Science (JRAS)
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

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 Pollution of Atmospheric Microplastics and Their Potential Risks to Humans

This review summarizes what is known about airborne microplastics—tiny plastic particles floating in the air we breathe—including their sources, distribution, and potential health risks. Fibers are the most common form found in air, and inhalation is an important but underestimated route of human microplastic exposure.

2021 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Hamburg's city air

Researchers characterized airborne microplastic particles in Hamburg's urban air, measuring concentrations, polymer types, and size distributions to assess inhalation exposure. The study confirmed that urban air contains a diverse range of microplastic types, with fibers and fragments as the dominant morphotypes.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

A novel online method for the detection, analysis, and classification of airborne microplastics

Researchers developed an online method for real-time detection, analysis, and automated classification of airborne microplastics, enabling continuous monitoring of plastic particle concentrations and polymer types in ambient air without the time-consuming sample preparation required by conventional methods.

2023 3 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

Microplastics in the environment: prevalence, fate, impacts, and mitigation

Researchers reviewed the global spread of microplastics — particles smaller than 5mm — across oceans, freshwater, soil, air, and human food, summarizing the environmental and health risks they pose and identifying critical gaps in knowledge about airborne microplastic distribution, with a focus on limited data from Pakistan.

2023
Article Tier 2

Study of suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess human exposure through inhalation

Researchers investigated suspended microplastics in indoor air to assess the extent of human exposure through inhalation. The study quantified airborne microplastic particles in indoor settings, providing data on a potentially important but understudied route of daily microplastic intake for the general population.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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
Article Tier 2

Characterization and quantification of microplastics in indoor environments

Researchers measured airborne microplastics in indoor spaces including offices, labs, dining halls, and dormitories. Dormitories had the highest microplastic levels, with fibers being the most common shape found. The study highlights that people are regularly inhaling microplastics indoors, where they spend the majority of their time.

2023 Heliyon 36 citations