Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in the street dust of Delhi: A study on seasonal variations

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive study of microplastic pollution in street dust across Delhi, India, examining seasonal variations. The study found significant microplastic contamination in urban street dust, with concentrations varying by season, highlighting the extent of atmospheric microplastic pollution in one of the world's most polluted cities.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination in Urban Environments: Insights from Street Dust Analysis in Jaipur

Street dust samples from five commercial zones in Jaipur, India revealed microplastic contamination dominated by fibers and fragments, with polymer types including polyester and polypropylene, and higher concentrations in areas with intensive commercial and vehicular activity.

2025 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT AND BIO-SCIENCE
Article Tier 2

Prevalence and characteristics of microplastics present in the street dust collected from Chennai metropolitan city, India

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in street dust from 16 locations across Chennai, India, in the first study of its kind from the country. They found an average of about 228 microplastic particles per hundred grams of street dust, with fibers being overwhelmingly the most common type at over 92 percent. The study identifies urban street dust as a significant reservoir and transport medium for microplastic pollution in densely populated cities.

2020 Chemosphere 161 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 5 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

[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.

2022 PubMed 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Evidences of microplastics in aerosols and street dust: a case study of Varanasi City, India

Researchers documented microplastic contamination in both aerosols and street dust across Varanasi, India, finding fragments dominant in street dust and fibers dominant in airborne particles. The study identified common polymer types including polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene, and found that microplastics carried toxic metallic elements like aluminum, cadmium, and magnesium on their surfaces.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 62 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Frontiers in Environmental Chemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in deposited urban dust, Tehran metropolis, Iran

Researchers analyzed street dust samples from Tehran and found significant microplastic contamination, with hundreds of particles per sample ranging from tiny fragments to fibers. They estimated that children and adults inadvertently ingest thousands of microplastic particles per year through contact with contaminated street dust. The study identifies urban dust as a potentially important but overlooked source of human microplastic exposure.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 576 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, Potential Sources, and Health Risk of Microplastics (MPs) in Street Dust during and after COVID-19 Lockdown in Bangladesh

Researchers compared microplastic levels in street dust from Dhaka, Bangladesh during and after COVID-19 lockdowns. They found that microplastic contamination was highest during periods without lockdown restrictions, with industrial areas showing the greatest concentrations. The study indicates that reduced human activity during lockdowns led to measurably lower microplastic pollution in urban street dust.

2023 Environments 22 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

Resuspension of microplastics and microrubbers in a semi-arid urban environment (Shiraz, Iran)

Researchers quantified airborne microplastics and microrubbers in road dust across Shiraz, Iran, finding significant resuspension of particles up to 177 cm above road level, highlighting an underappreciated exposure pathway for urban populations.

2022 Environmental Pollution 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization and health risk assessment of airborne microplastics in Delhi NCR

Researchers conducted the first comprehensive study of airborne microplastics in Delhi, India, measuring their seasonal distribution, size, and chemical composition across different particle size fractions. They found microplastics in all samples, dominated by fragments and fibers made primarily of PET and polyethylene, with trace metals like zinc and aluminum adsorbed onto their surfaces. The study underscores the need to incorporate microplastics into air quality monitoring frameworks, particularly in heavily polluted urban areas.

2025 Scientific Reports 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal 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.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and potential health impacts of microplastics and microrubbers in air and street dusts from Asaluyeh County, Iran

Researchers collected street dust and air samples from an industrial area in Iran and found significant quantities of microplastics and microrubber particles that could be inhaled or ingested by residents. The particles varied widely in size, color, and polymer type, with concentrations highest near industrial and urban zones. The study provides some of the first evidence that airborne microplastics in terrestrial environments represent a meaningful human exposure pathway.

2018 Environmental Pollution 719 citations
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

Assessment of Microplastics and Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Road Dust: A Case Study from Begusarai, Bihar

Road dust samples from 33 sites across five land-use zones in Begusarai, Bihar, India contained microplastics at all locations alongside elevated heavy metals, with industrial and commercial zones showing the highest combined contamination and estimated human health risks.

2025
Article Tier 2

Identification, classification and quantification of microplastics in road dust and stormwater

Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in road dust and stormwater, finding significantly higher concentrations in industrial areas compared to residential zones, with tire wear particles and polyethylene fragments being the most common types.

2022 Chemosphere 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Seasonal variation of microplastics in indoor environments from Birmingham, UK: Implication for ingestion and inhalation exposure

Researchers monitored microplastic concentrations in settled dust and air across five indoor microenvironments in Birmingham over 12 months, finding significantly higher concentrations in summer and substantial seasonal variation in particle shape and size that produced statistically significant differences in estimated daily intake for adults and toddlers.

2026 Chemosphere
Article Tier 2

Magnetic association of microplastics in urban road dust: Size distribution and ecological risk.

Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called microplastics are heavily concentrated in urban road dust, especially the smallest particles that can easily become airborne. The magnetic particles in this dust contain up to seven times more microplastics than non-magnetic particles, which matters because we breathe in this dust daily when walking, driving, or when wind stirs it up. This research helps us better understand how much plastic pollution we're exposed to in cities and where it comes from.

2026 Environmental research
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in surface road dust in Kusatsu (Japan), Da Nang (Vietnam), and Kathmandu (Nepal)

Microplastics were detected in road dust sampled from three Asian cities (Kusatsu in Japan, Da Nang in Vietnam, and Kathmandu in Nepal), with concentrations and polymer types varying by city and sampling location. The study demonstrates that road surfaces are a major reservoir of microplastics in urban environments across diverse Asian contexts.

2019 Environmental Pollution 249 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracking of microplastics distribution patterns and their characterisation in deposited road dust from Dhaka city, Bangladesh

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in road dust across Dhaka, Bangladesh, finding thousands of particles per kilogram in samples from different road types and locations. Larger dust particles contained more microplastics, with fibers and fragments being the most common shapes, primarily made of polyethylene and polystyrene. Since road dust is kicked up into the air by traffic, these microplastics can be inhaled by pedestrians and residents, creating a direct exposure pathway for human health.

2024 Emerging contaminants 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Subsurface transport and environmental risks of microplastic pollution: influence of land use and seasonal variability

Researchers systematically investigated how microplastics move vertically through soil across five different land use types during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Dumpsites had the highest microplastic concentrations at nearly 40,000 particles per kilogram, while woodlands had the lowest at around 500 particles per kilogram. The study found that smaller microplastics traveled deeper into soil, especially after monsoon rains, and that land use type significantly influenced both the amount and composition of microplastic contamination.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Environmental Pollution 15 citations