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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Urban wetlands as buffers against airborne microplastics and associated pollutants: Implications for public health and sustainable urban management
ClearPlastic rain—Atmospheric microplastics deposition in urban and peri-urban areas of Patna City, Bihar, India: Distribution, characteristics, transport, and source analysis
Researchers measured microplastic particles falling from the sky in Patna, India, finding nearly 2,000 particles per square meter per day in urban areas. The plastic "rain" was mostly tiny fibers and fragments made of common plastics like PET and polypropylene. This study shows that breathing outdoor air is another way people are exposed to microplastics, especially in cities.
Quantification and characterization of airborne microplastics and their possible hazards: a case study from an urban sprawl in eastern India
Researchers measured airborne microplastic deposition in Malda City, India, and found daily deposition rates of 122 to 387 particles per square meter. The most common types were polyethylene, PVC, and PET fragments and films, mostly very small (50 to 100 micrometers). The study found that human activity and commercial areas were the main drivers of microplastic distribution, and that these airborne particles pose ecological risks when they settle into soil and water.
Urban Microplastic Pollution Revealed by a Large-Scale Wetland Soil Survey
Researchers conducted a large-scale survey of wetland soils across an urban area and found an average of 379 microplastic particles per kilogram, with abundance closely linked to proximity to the city's economic center. Polypropylene was the most common polymer type, and fiber and fragment shapes dominated the samples. The study found that atmospheric particle pollution and heavy metal concentrations in soil were strongly correlated with microplastic levels, suggesting shared urban pollution sources.
A preliminary comparison of microplastic type, size, and composition in atmospheric and foliage samples in an urban scenario
Researchers compared microplastic types, sizes, and polymer compositions in atmospheric dry and wet deposition at multiple sites, assessing contributions to ecosystem contamination. The results showed that atmospheric deposition is a significant pathway for microplastic redistribution, particularly to remote areas.
Accurate quantification and transport estimation of suspended atmospheric microplastics in megacities: Implications for human health
Researchers developed an improved sampling methodology for accurately quantifying suspended atmospheric microplastics in megacities. They found a significant relationship between sampling volume and particle counts, and identified that PET fibers and fragments dominated airborne microplastics, with plastic microbeads also detected in air for the first time. Using atmospheric modeling, the study estimated that megacities can transport substantial quantities of airborne microplastics to surrounding regions, with implications for human inhalation exposure.
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.
Urban natural wetland as a sink for microplastics: A case from Lalu Wetland in Tibet, China
Microplastics were detected in water and sediment from Lalu Wetland in Tibet, a high-altitude urban natural wetland, establishing it as a sink for airborne and waterborne plastic particles. The study documents plastic contamination even in remote Tibetan ecosystems and highlights the role of wetlands in trapping microplastics from surrounding catchments.
Atmospheric microplastics deposition in a central Indian city: Distribution, characteristics and seasonal variations
Researchers measured airborne microplastic fallout in the Indian city of Nagpur and found 213 to 543 particles per square meter per day raining down from the sky, mostly tiny fibers from textiles. Children's estimated inhalation exposure was nearly double that of adults relative to body weight, raising particular health concerns about microplastic exposure through the air we breathe.
Atmospheric microplastic deposition in an urban environment and an evaluation of transport
Researchers measured microplastic deposition in central London and found contamination in all samples, with rates ranging from 575 to 1,008 particles per square meter per day. Fibrous microplastics made up 92% of the particles, and 15 different polymer types were identified. Wind analysis revealed different source areas for fibrous and non-fibrous airborne microplastics, providing the first evidence that the atmosphere is a significant pathway for microplastic pollution in urban areas.
The atmospheric microplastics deposition contributes to microplastic pollution in urban waters
Researchers investigated how atmospheric deposition contributes to microplastic pollution in urban waters. The study found that microplastic deposition fluxes were higher during wet weather than dry weather and showed moderate to strong correlations with atmospheric conditions, demonstrating that airborne microplastic fallout is a meaningful source of contamination in urban water environments.
Migration characteristics of microplastics based on source-sink investigation in a typical urban wetland
Researchers investigated microplastic migration in a typical urban wetland by examining sources and sinks including surface water, sediment, and agricultural waste, revealing how wetlands serve as transitional systems channeling urban microplastic pollution into freshwater environments.
Microplastic pollution in the surface water and sediments from Kallar Kahar wetland, Pakistan: occurrence, distribution, and characterization by ATR-FTIR
Researchers analyzed the composition and abundance of microplastics in snow samples from Antarctica, the Pyrenees, and urban Europe, finding particles at all sites including the most remote. Polyester fibers were universal, reinforcing the role of long-range atmospheric transport.
A preliminary comparison of microplastic type, size, and composition in atmospheric and foliage samples in an urban scenario
Researchers compared microplastic types, sizes, and polymer compositions in atmospheric dry and wet deposition samples from different settings. The study found that atmospheric deposition is a meaningful pathway for microplastic dispersal, with variation in particle characteristics across sites.
Source, fate, toxicity, and remediation of micro-plastic in wetlands: A critical review
Researchers reviewed how microplastics enter, accumulate in, and damage natural wetlands — ecosystems that filter water and support biodiversity — finding that while wetlands may actually trap plastic particles like a sink, the resulting contamination poses serious ecological risks that are still poorly understood.
Evidences of Microplastic in Air and Street Dust: A Case Study of Varanasi City, India
Researchers measured microplastics in air and street dust samples from multiple sites in Varanasi, India, finding plastic particles in all samples including suspended and settled dust. The study adds to evidence that urban air and dust are important but underappreciated sources of human microplastic exposure.
Associations between microplastic pollution and land use in urban wetland sediments
This study examined microplastic pollution in urban wetlands and found that land use patterns -- particularly the proportion of impervious surfaces and proximity to urban infrastructure -- strongly predicted microplastic concentrations in wetland sediments.
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.
Microplastics in the urban atmosphere: Sources, occurrences, distribution, and potential health implications
This review summarizes research on airborne microplastics in cities, finding that indoor sources like textiles and outdoor sources like traffic-related plastic particles are major contributors. Microplastic concentrations in urban air can be significant, especially in densely populated areas, and people can inhale these particles daily. The health implications of breathing in microplastics are still being studied, but early evidence suggests they may cause lung inflammation and other respiratory problems.
New insights into the long-term dynamics and deposition-suspension distribution of atmospheric microplastics in an urban area
Researchers tracked airborne microplastics in a city over a full year and found an average of 302 particles per square meter per day falling from the sky, with people potentially inhaling up to 12,777 particles per year. The microplastics came from sources up to 1,750 kilometers away, including traffic, industry, and textiles. This study highlights that breathing is a significant route of microplastic exposure for humans, even for people living far from obvious pollution sources.
A review of microplastics pollution and its remediation methods: Current scenario and future aspects
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in atmospheric deposition at remote mountain sites in the Pyrenees, detecting an average of 365 particles per square meter per day. The findings confirm long-range atmospheric transport of microplastics far from pollution sources.
Microplastic Presence, Aging, and Potential Sources in Urban Runoff in a Large Piedmont Metropolitan Area: Polymer-Type-Specific Analysis
Scientists found over 20,000 tiny plastic particles in rainwater runoff from a large metropolitan area, with the plastics coming from both local sources like degraded items on the ground and particles falling from the atmosphere. These microplastics can end up in our water supply and food chain, potentially affecting human health. The study helps identify where these harmful plastic particles come from in big cities, which is important for finding ways to reduce our exposure to them.
[Distribution, Respiratory Exposure, and Traceability of Atmospheric Microplastics in Yichang City].
Researchers sampled airborne microplastics at 16 locations across Yichang City, China, and found them in every area, with the highest concentrations settling over urban residential neighborhoods. The particles were mostly polyester fibers and came predominantly from nearby sources rather than long-range transport. Daily inhalation estimates were calculated for both adults and children, highlighting indoor and outdoor respiratory exposure as a meaningful human health concern that warrants tighter monitoring.
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.
Atmospheric deposition of microplastics in an urban conglomerate near to the foothills of Indian Himalayas: Investigating the quantity, chemical character, possible sources and transport mechanisms
Scientists measured microplastic fallout from the air near the foothills of the Indian Himalayas and found an average of over 2,200 particles landing per square meter per day. Levels spiked during the Diwali festival, suggesting that human activities significantly increase airborne microplastic pollution. The findings show that even areas near remote mountain regions receive substantial microplastic deposits from the atmosphere, which people in those communities inhale.