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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Temporal Distribution of Airborne Microplastics at an Urban Roadside
ClearSpatiotemporal occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in the urban road dust in a megacity, eastern China
Researchers collected road dust samples from different areas of Nanjing, a major city in eastern China, and found an average of 143 microplastic particles per square meter. Commercial and heavy industrial zones had the highest contamination levels, with 29 different polymer types identified across the city. The study found that urban land use, recent rainfall, and particulate matter levels were the main factors influencing microplastic pollution patterns in road dust.
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.
Microplastic Pollution in the Ambient Air of Surabaya, Indonesia
Airborne microplastics were measured at three roadside sites in Surabaya, Indonesia, finding fibers as the dominant shape and highest concentrations at high-traffic sites, with FTIR identifying a range of polymer types. The study provides the first microplastic pollution data for Indonesian urban air and demonstrates a traffic-density relationship with atmospheric microplastic levels.
Microplastics in the atmospheric of the eastern coast of China: different function areas reflecting various sources and transport
Atmospheric sampling at two sites in a Chinese coastal city found microplastics suspended in the air at both downtown and industrial locations, but with different dominant sources — lifestyle and consumer products in the city center versus industrial activity in the industrial zone. The finding that microplastics are transported through the atmosphere confirms that people in urban areas are inhaling plastic particles regardless of proximity to industrial facilities.
Deposition of Roadside Atmospheric Non-Tire Wear Microplastics: Characteristics and Influencing Factors
A year-long roadside study measured the atmospheric deposition of microplastics in two size fractions, finding deposition rates of 3–9 million particles per hectare per month for larger particles and identifying polymers including PP, PE, PS, PVC, PET, and nylon. Traffic was the dominant source of larger particles near the road, while wind patterns dispersed smaller particles more broadly from industrial sources. Roads are a major but underappreciated source of airborne microplastic deposition into surrounding soils and waterways, and this study quantifies that contribution with new precision.
Abundance of microplastics and nanoplastics in urban atmosphere
Scientists measured microplastics and nanoplastics in the air of two major Chinese cities and found concentrations reaching hundreds of thousands of particles per cubic meter. Road dust being kicked up by traffic and rainfall washing particles out of the sky were the two biggest drivers of atmospheric plastic pollution. These findings suggest that city residents are inhaling significant amounts of plastic particles every day, with potential implications for respiratory and overall health.
Atmospheric Microplastic Particulate Matter in an Urban Roadside: Case of Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia
Researchers sampled airborne microplastics at four locations across Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia, including industrial zones, residential neighborhoods, busy roads, and the city center. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from 0.002 to 0.02 particles per cubic meter of air, with fibrous shapes and PET plastic most common. Industrial areas had the highest total particulate levels, and northern parts of the city appear to be a likely source of airborne microplastics carried by traffic. This study adds to growing evidence that city dwellers are breathing in microplastics simply from the air around them.
Occurrence and characteristic of microplastics in suspended particulate, a case study in street of Yogyakarta
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in road dust and suspended particles in the streets of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They found that microplastics were present across sampling sites, with vehicle tires and road marking paint identified as primary sources. The study highlights urban transportation as a significant contributor to airborne microplastic pollution.
[Characteristics of Microplastic Present in Urban Road Dust].
Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in urban road dust from Ma'anshan City, China, finding abundances of 223 particles/kg with polypropylene (58.9%) and polyethylene (30.1%) dominant, and commercial areas showing the highest contamination levels.
Microplastic atmospheric dustfall pollution in urban environment: Evidence from the types, distribution, and probable sources in Beijing, China
Researchers collected atmospheric dustfall samples across urban Beijing and analyzed the types, distribution, and likely sources of airborne microplastics. They found that synthetic fibers from textiles and fragments from various plastic products were the dominant forms, with concentrations varying by location and proximity to pollution sources. The study provides evidence that urban atmospheric microplastic pollution is widespread and likely linked to daily human activities and industrial processes.
First quantification and chemical characterization of atmospheric microplastics observed in Seoul, South Korea
Researchers conducted the first measurement of airborne microplastics across five outdoor sites in Seoul, South Korea, finding plastic particles everywhere from business districts to urban forests. Microplastic levels were higher in areas with more human activity and during weekdays versus weekends. Polypropylene and PET were the most common types, suggesting that everyday plastic products are a major source of airborne microplastic pollution in cities.
Simultaneous Measurement and Compositional Analysis of Atmospheric Microplastics in Taiwan Utilizing Optical and Chemical Methods
Researchers measured airborne microplastics across three sites in Taiwan — rural, near a waste incinerator, and in a traffic-heavy area — finding the highest concentrations at the traffic site, with polyethylene and polypropylene as the dominant plastic types. Estimated daily human exposure through breathing and accidental ingestion ranged in the tens of particles per kilogram of body weight, underscoring that air is a significant but often overlooked route of microplastic exposure.
Characterization of airborne microplastics and health risks in high-temperature urban streets: A case study of Nanjing city
Researchers measured airborne microplastics on high-temperature streets in Nanjing, China, and found that hotter ground temperatures significantly increased the release of traffic-related microplastics. Tire wear and road markings were identified as major sources, and health risk modeling showed that daily inhalation exposure could reach concerning levels for both adults and children. The study highlights that people living in hot urban areas with heavy traffic may face higher microplastic exposure through breathing.
Atmospheric Microplastic Particulate in Urban Roadside: Case of Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia, finding fibrous particles — mostly PET — present at all sampling locations including residential areas and city centers, not just industrial zones. The detection of microplastics in the ambient air at meaningful concentrations adds to the growing body of evidence that people in urban environments are continuously inhaling microplastic fibers, regardless of proximity to obvious industrial sources.
Characterization of atmospheric microplastics in Hangzhou, a megacity of the Yangtze river delta, China
Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastics in Hangzhou, a major city in China's Yangtze River Delta. They found that airborne microplastics were predominantly fibers, with tire wear particles and polyethylene terephthalate being the most common polymer types. The annual dry deposition of microplastics across the urban area was estimated at nearly 17 tons, highlighting the scale of airborne microplastic pollution in densely populated regions.
Spatiotemporal distribution and potential sources of atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment of Northwest China
Atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment in northwest China ranged from 79.5 to 810.0 particles per square meter per day, with peak deposition in summer, fibres and fragments dominating, and source analysis pointing to local plastic products and waste as primary contributors.
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.
Impact of seasonal changes and environmental conditions on suspended and inhalable microplastics in urban air
Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Taipei City over a full year and found an average of about 6 particles per cubic meter of air, with higher levels during warm seasons. Fragment-shaped microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene) were the most common, and their concentrations were influenced more by weather conditions like temperature, UV levels, and humidity than by human activity within the city.
Spatial and seasonal variations of airborne microplastics in the emerging megacity of Hangzhou, China
Researchers conducted a year-long sampling campaign across four urban zones in Hangzhou, China, to characterize airborne microplastics at human breathing height. The study found an average of 4.43 particles per cubic meter, with about 89% of particles smaller than 100 micrometers, predominantly fragments composed of polyamide and rubber, showing strong seasonal variation with lowest levels in summer.
Airborne microplastics in China: Assessing urbanization, weather factors and policy implications from the nationwide study
Researchers conducted the first nationwide assessment of atmospheric microplastics across 30 Chinese cities combined with year-round monitoring in Ningbo, finding an average deposition flux of 473.9 items m-2 d-1 and identifying urbanization level, seasonal weather patterns, and wind conditions as key governing factors of atmospheric microplastic distribution.