Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Various forms and deposition fluxes of microplastics identified in the coastal urban atmosphere

Researchers collected precipitation samples in a Chinese coastal city and found microplastics of multiple shapes deposited from the atmosphere, with seasonal variation in deposition rates. This is one of the first studies to document atmospheric microplastic deposition in a coastal urban environment.

2017 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 253 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics, distribution patterns and sources of atmospheric microplastics in the Bohai and Yellow Seas, China

Researchers investigated the characteristics, distribution patterns, and sources of atmospheric microplastics over the Bohai and Yellow Seas in China during summer and autumn 2022. The study provides new data on airborne microplastic pollution over oceanic regions, an area where information has been limited.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristic of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city, China: preliminary research and first evidence

Researchers characterized microplastics in atmospheric fallout collected in Dongguan City, China, finding that airborne microplastics are deposited daily and that urban areas generate significant atmospheric microplastic emissions.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 912 citations
Article Tier 2

Algae: a frontline photosynthetic organism in the microplastic catastrophe

Researchers characterized airborne microplastic deposition in an urban area of China over 12 months, finding seasonal variation with higher deposition in winter and spring. Fibers accounted for the majority of particles, with polypropylene and polyester dominating.

2022 Trends in Plant Science 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, characteristics, and factors influencing the atmospheric microplastics around Jiaozhou Bay, the Yellow Sea

Atmospheric microplastics collected around Jiaozhou Bay in China were deposited at rates of up to 80 items per square meter per day, with seasonal variation driven by monsoons — higher deposition in dry seasons — and fragments and polyethylene being the dominant forms. The estimated annual input of microplastics into this bay via atmospheric deposition alone is over 7.6 tons, highlighting that air-to-sea transfer is a substantial and seasonally dynamic pathway for marine microplastic contamination.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of microplastics in the seawater and atmosphere of the South China Sea: Pollution patterns and interrelationship

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in both seawater and the atmosphere of the South China Sea, revealing distribution patterns and an interrelationship between marine and airborne microplastic contamination in the region.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into the microbial succession and health risks of atmospheric plastispheres

Researchers conducted a two-month outdoor experiment to study how bacteria colonize atmospheric microplastics and found that while initial colonization was polymer-specific, communities gradually converged over time. Seven pathogenic species were specifically enriched on plastic surfaces, with some appearing only in later stages of biofilm development, suggesting that airborne microplastics may serve as carriers that accumulate and potentially transmit harmful bacteria.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in the megalopolis (Shanghai) during rainy season: Characteristics, influence factors, and source

Researchers characterized atmospheric microplastic deposition in Shanghai during the rainy season, finding that rainfall events significantly increased deposition rates, with fibers dominating and sources linked to both local urban activities and long-range atmospheric transport.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 134 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition as a pathway for microplastic transport to the marine environment: Temporal variation and environmental factors

A year-long study in a South Korean coastal bay found that atmospheric dry and wet deposition delivers a measurable and seasonally variable load of microplastics to the marine surface, with wind speed, rainfall, and dust events driving the temporal patterns. This confirms that the atmosphere is a significant and often overlooked transport route for microplastics from land to ocean.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin
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

Atmospheric microplastics in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean: Distribution, source, and deposition

Researchers documented atmospheric microplastic distribution in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, finding abundances ranging from 0.0046 to higher levels and identifying sources and deposition patterns that contribute to marine microplastic pollution from airborne transport.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative study on physicochemical characteristics of atmospheric microplastics in winter in inland and coastal megacities: A case of Beijing and Shanghai, China

Researchers compared airborne microplastic pollution during winter in Beijing, an inland city, and Shanghai, a coastal city in China. They found notable differences in the shapes, sizes, and polymer types of microplastics between the two cities, reflecting their distinct urban and industrial environments. The study provides evidence that local geography and economic activity significantly influence the characteristics of atmospheric microplastic contamination.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastics in Handan, China: characteristics, seasonal variations, and human exposure risk

Researchers conducted a year-long monitoring campaign of deposited and suspended atmospheric microplastics in Handan, an industrial city in northern China. They found strong seasonal variations linked to wind patterns and industrial emissions, with human inhalation exposure posing a measurable health risk.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Article Tier 2

Seasonal patterns and environmental drivers of atmospheric microplastics in a coastal megacity

Researchers conducted a year-long monitoring campaign of atmospheric microplastics in Shanghai to understand seasonal patterns and environmental drivers. The study identified distinct temporal dynamics in airborne microplastic concentrations in this coastal megacity, revealing how weather patterns, wind, and human activities influence atmospheric microplastic levels throughout the year.

2025 Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the impact of marine litter hotspot on atmospheric microplastics: A study of a coastal village

Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations near a marine litter hotspot in a coastal village in Taiwan and found an average of 1.35 particles per cubic meter of air, with the highest levels in spring. The study provides evidence that accumulated marine litter on coastlines can serve as a source of atmospheric microplastics, potentially affecting air quality in nearby communities.

2025 Environmental Pollution 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in the coastal zone: Characteristics and relationship with meteorological factors

Microplastics deposited from the atmosphere were sampled and characterized in a coastal zone, with analysis of meteorological factors including air humidity, wind speed, precipitation, and air mass trajectories. The study found measurable atmospheric microplastic deposition in the coastal environment, with weather patterns influencing deposition rates and particle characteristics.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 258 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in a rural region of North China Plain

Researchers investigated atmospheric microplastic deposition in a rural area of the North China Plain, finding significant quantities of microplastics deposited through both dry and wet pathways, with fibers and polyethylene being the dominant types.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the external atmospheric input of microplastics: Two strategies based on polymer composition and aging characteristics

Researchers compared microplastic pollution in dust from a sparsely populated area on the Mongolian Plateau and a densely populated city, using polymer composition and aging characteristics to distinguish locally generated microplastics from those transported externally via long-distance atmospheric transport.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastics at a southern China metropolis: Occurrence, deposition flux, exposure risk and washout effect of rainfall

Researchers measured airborne microplastics in Guangzhou, a major city in southern China, finding them throughout the year with higher levels during the rainy season. They estimated that adults in the city inhale tens of thousands of microplastic particles annually through normal breathing. Rainfall helped wash microplastics out of the air, but it also deposited them onto surfaces where they can enter water and soil, creating another pathway for human exposure.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastic over the South China Sea and East Indian Ocean: abundance, distribution and source

Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic abundance across 21 transects from coastal China to the East Indian Ocean and found that concentrations near the Pearl River Estuary were ten times higher than over the open ocean, with backward trajectory modeling suggesting long-range atmospheric transport exceeding 1,000 km but indicating that atmospheric deposition is unlikely to be the primary source of oceanic microplastic contamination.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 318 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of suspended atmospheric microplastics in Tianjin Binhai New Area: characterization, human health risks, and correlation with weather conditions and Air Quality Index

Researchers measured airborne microplastics in an urban area of Tianjin, China, and found them in every sample collected during autumn and winter. The particles were mostly fibers, with polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene among the most common types, and concentrations varied with weather conditions like humidity and barometric pressure. A health risk assessment suggested that residents face measurable exposure to airborne microplastics, raising concerns about long-term inhalation risks.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations