Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 Current World Environment 79 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Jurnal Presipitasi Media Komunikasi dan Pengembangan Teknik Lingkungan 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The deposition of atmospheric microplastics in Jakarta-Indonesia: The coastal urban area

Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in Jakarta, Indonesia over 12 months, finding deposition rates of 3-40 particles per square meter per day with fibers as the dominant shape, and higher deposition during the rainy season compared to the dry season.

2021 Marine Pollution Bulletin 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the atmosphere of Ahvaz City, Iran

Researchers characterized airborne microplastics in Ahvaz, Iran, finding that all detected particles were fibrous, predominantly polyester and nylon, with higher concentrations in urban areas compared to residential locations.

2022 Journal of Environmental Sciences 95 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

An Occupant-Based Overview of Microplastics in Indoor Environments in the City of Surabaya, Indonesia

Airborne microplastic deposition in settled indoor dust was measured in residential and commercial buildings in a city environment, providing an occupant-based assessment of indoor microplastic exposure. Microplastics smaller than 5 mm were deposited at measurable rates in all sampled indoor settings, with fiber shapes dominating the settled dust contamination.

2020 Journal of Ecological Engineering 52 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 56 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Pollution 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and particulate matter: assessment of atmospheric pollution in the Region of Hortênsias, Brazil

Researchers measured microplastic concentrations alongside particulate matter in the atmosphere of an urban area, characterizing the size, morphology, and polymer composition of airborne plastic particles and assessing the contribution of different anthropogenic sources to atmospheric MP pollution.

2025 Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution Model in Ambient Air PM2.5 Around the Medan Industrial Area, North Sumatra

Researchers investigated the distribution of microplastics in fine particulate matter around an industrial area in Medan, North Sumatra, finding between 41 and 92 particles per sample. The dominant form was fragments, making up 62% of detected microplastics, and their distribution was influenced by wind direction and nearby pollution sources. The study suggests that industrial areas are significant contributors to airborne microplastic contamination in the surrounding environment.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of atmospheric microplastic levels in a textile industry intensive region

This study measured atmospheric microplastic levels in a region with intensive textile manufacturing, finding elevated concentrations linked to industrial fiber emissions. The results underscore the textile sector as a significant local source of airborne microplastic pollution.

2024
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastic fallout in outdoor and indoor environments in São Paulo megacity

Researchers measured microplastic fallout in both outdoor and indoor environments across the megacity of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and found that indoor environments had significantly higher microplastic deposition rates than outdoor locations. Fibers from synthetic textiles were the most common type of airborne microplastic detected. The study highlights that people living in densely populated cities may face substantial microplastic exposure simply from the air they breathe indoors.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 138 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastics distribution in indoor and outdoor environments of a rapidly growing city in South India

Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations bound to particulate matter in both indoor and outdoor environments across Tiruchirappalli, a rapidly growing city in Tamil Nadu, India. Indoor concentrations exceeded outdoor levels at several sites, with synthetic fiber microplastics dominating, indicating that indoor human activities contribute significantly to inhalation exposure.

2025
Article Tier 2

Urban atmospheric microplastic distribution and potential health impact in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

This study assessed atmospheric microplastic pollution in Dhaka City's urban dust across ten major locations, finding widespread contamination dominated by fibers and fragments. Microplastic abundance was highest in areas with dense traffic and industrial activity, suggesting vehicle and garment sources as major contributors in this megacity.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastics in Bandung and Osaka: Concentration and characteristics

Airborne microplastics were characterized in two cities - Bandung, Indonesia and Osaka, Japan - using attenuated total imaging and micro-FTIR spectroscopy as a preliminary comparative study. Airborne microplastic concentrations in total suspended particulates ranged from 1.03 to 14.27 particles per m3, with differences in polymer types and concentrations between the two urban environments.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of atmospheric microplastics in Mexico City

Researchers conducted the first study of atmospheric microplastics in Mexico City, sampling air at seven monitoring stations across urban, residential, and industrial areas during dry and wet seasons. Microplastics were found in every sample, with higher concentrations near industrial and urban centers and during the dry season. The predominant type was blue fibers, and many particles were small enough to be inhaled, raising concerns about airborne microplastic exposure in densely populated cities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne Microplastic Concentrations in Five Megacities of Northern and Southeast China

Researchers used uniform sampling methods to measure airborne microplastic concentrations across five major cities in northern and southeastern China. They found that indoor environments generally had higher microplastic levels than outdoor air, with fibers being the most common particle type. The study provides some of the first directly comparable data on airborne microplastic exposure across multiple cities, suggesting that people in densely populated areas face meaningful inhalation risks.

2021 Environmental Science & Technology 170 citations
Article Tier 2

Breathing plastics in Metro Manila, Philippines: Presence of suspended atmospheric microplastics in ambient air

Researchers detected suspended atmospheric microplastics in ambient air samples from 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines, confirming that urban air in Southeast Asia contains respirable plastic particles and raising concern about inhalation exposure among dense urban populations.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Airborne Microplastics in Indoor and Outdoor Environments at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Campus

Researchers collected airborne microplastic samples from indoor and outdoor environments at a Malaysian university campus, finding microplastics present in all locations with higher concentrations indoors and fiber morphologies predominating, suggesting occupants are continually exposed via inhalation.

2025 Journal of Advanced Research in Micro and Nano Engieering
Article Tier 2

Analysis of suspended atmospheric microplastics size at different elevation in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

Researchers sampled atmospheric microplastics at two different elevations on a Malaysian university campus, finding microplastic contamination in suspended air particles even in urban academic settings, with characteristics varying by elevation.

2023 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in atmospheric fallouts of a developing Southeast Asian megacity under tropical climate

A year-long monitoring study of atmospheric microplastic fallout in a Southeast Asian megacity found deposition rates of 71–917 items/m²/day dominated by fibers, with no significant correlation with rainfall or wind — contrary to patterns seen in temperate climate studies.

2021 Chemosphere 136 citations