Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Atmospheric Microplastics: Perspectives on Origin, Abundances, Ecological and Health Risks

This review summarizes current knowledge about microplastics in the atmosphere, including their sources, how far they travel, and potential health effects from inhalation. Researchers found that airborne microplastics can carry toxic chemicals deep into the respiratory system and may contribute to respiratory problems and other health concerns. The study emphasizes that atmospheric microplastic pollution remains poorly understood due to a lack of standardized measurement methods.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 22 citations
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

A Review of the Sources, Environmental Behaviours and Human Health of Atmospheric Microplastics

This review examined sources, environmental behaviors, and human health impacts of atmospheric microplastics, distinguishing indoor from outdoor MP exposure and summarizing evidence on how airborne MPs are emitted, transported, transformed, and inhaled.

2023 Johnson Matthey Technology Review 3 citations
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

Airborne microplastics: Emerging threats and health implications for humans

This review synthesizes research on airborne microplastics as emerging human health hazards, covering their sources, atmospheric transport, inhalation and ingestion exposure pathways, and evidence of toxicological impacts on the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems.

2025 International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences
Article Tier 2

Evaluating Ecological Impacts and Atmospheric Fate of Microplastics: Ecological Perspectives and Challenges

Researchers review how microplastics spread through the atmosphere via wind and weather before settling into water bodies, soil, and plant life — creating pathways for human exposure through the food chain. The study highlights gaps in analytical methods and calls for standardized, accurate measurement techniques to better understand and address the full ecological threat of airborne microplastic pollution.

2024 Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric Microplastics and Human Health: Sources, Exposure, and Risks

This review systematically summarizes the sources, distribution, and health implications of atmospheric microplastics in both indoor and outdoor air. The study highlights growing evidence that inhaled microplastics can enter the human body and pose potential risks to the respiratory system, while identifying key limitations and uncertainties in current exposure assessment methods.

2026 Applied and Computational Engineering
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Air

This book chapter examines atmospheric microplastic pollution, reviewing the presence of MPs in outdoor and indoor air, the mechanisms by which they become airborne, human inhalation exposure estimates, and evidence for respiratory health effects.

2025
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

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

The impact of microplastic pollution on human health - current issues

This review covers the sources, distribution, and ecological implications of microplastics in terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric environments, synthesizing existing knowledge and research gaps. It finds that MPs are a global contaminant threatening biodiversity and human health through chemical leaching, endocrine disruption, and physical harm to organisms at multiple trophic levels.

2025 Ecological Questions
Article Tier 2

Airborne microplastics: environmental prevalence, human health risks, and mitigation strategies

This critical review synthesized findings from 156 peer-reviewed papers on airborne microplastics, covering sampling methodologies, environmental prevalence, health hazards, and mitigation strategies. Researchers found that atmospheric microplastic concentrations vary widely across environments and highlighted significant gaps in toxicological research regarding human health effects from inhaled microplastic particles.

2026 Analytical Methods
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as Emerging Environmental Contaminants: Sources, Distribution and Ecological Implications

This review examines the sources, environmental distribution, and ecological implications of microplastics, which are now found across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments worldwide. The study discusses how these persistent plastic fragments can enter food webs and highlights priorities for future monitoring, risk assessment, and pollution mitigation efforts.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Microplastics in the Atmosphere

This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on microplastic pollution in the atmosphere, covering sources, transport, deposition, and potential health effects of inhaled airborne microplastics. The authors note that initial research focused on marine environments but atmospheric microplastic pollution is a rapidly growing concern.

2023 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the Air and Their Associated Health Impacts

This review examines the presence of microplastics in air and their associated health impacts, summarizing evidence for airborne microplastic distribution globally, potential exposure routes including inhalation, and documented biological effects such as oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, immune disruption, and neurotoxicity.

2022 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastics: exposure, toxicity, and detrimental health effects

This review summarizes what is known about microplastics in the air, including their sources, how they travel, and their effects on human health when inhaled or swallowed. Airborne microplastics come from synthetic textiles, road dust, construction materials, and industrial processes, and can trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in the lungs and other organs. The authors conclude that atmospheric microplastics represent an underappreciated route of human exposure that deserves more research and regulation.

2023 RSC Advances 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Atmospheric micro (nano) plastics: future growing concerns for human health

This review examines the growing concern about nanoplastics in the atmosphere and their potential effects on human health, an area that has received far less attention than microplastics in water or soil. Researchers found that airborne nanoplastics can penetrate deep into the lungs and potentially enter the bloodstream due to their extremely small size. The study identifies critical knowledge gaps and calls for more research on inhalation exposure pathways and long-term health consequences.

2022 Air Quality Atmosphere & Health 135 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

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

Microplastics as New Air Pollutants

This paper discusses the emerging recognition of microplastics as air pollutants, a topic that has received less attention than microplastics in water and soil. Airborne microplastics have been detected in both indoor and outdoor environments and can be inhaled, posing potential risks to respiratory health. The paper calls for more research and regulation of atmospheric microplastic pollution.

2023 Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as an Emerging Source of Particulate Air Pollution

This review examines the growing body of research on airborne microplastics as a source of particulate air pollution, covering their sources, transport mechanisms, and presence in both indoor and outdoor environments. Researchers highlight that airborne microplastics can travel long distances and have been found in remote locations far from population centers. The study underscores significant gaps in our understanding of how inhaling these tiny plastic particles may affect human health.

2025 3 citations
Review Tier 2

Emerging environmental challenge: a critical review of airborne microplastics

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of airborne microplastic pollution, covering their sources, distribution in indoor and outdoor environments, and potential health effects. Researchers found that airborne microplastics are present in diverse settings from homes to remote mountain regions, with textile fibers being the most common type. The study highlights that understanding the health risks of inhaling these particles remains an urgent research priority.

2024 Environmental Research Communications 5 citations
Review Tier 2

Atmospheric microplastics: A review of pollution characteristics, human exposure pathways, and emerging health risks

This comprehensive review examines microplastic pollution in indoor and outdoor air, highlighting exposure pathways and emerging health risks. Researchers found that poorly ventilated indoor spaces have the highest concentrations of airborne microplastics, while factors like humidity and ventilation significantly influence pollution levels, raising concerns about chronic inhalation exposure.

2026 Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology