AI Article Synopsis
- This study explored the collection and analysis of microplastics in the air in Auckland, New Zealand, over nine weeks, utilizing advanced microscopy and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS) to identify various types of airborne microplastics.
- The findings showed that smaller microplastics were found in higher numbers and emphasized the need for standardized methods when comparing microplastic research.
- The research identified eight different polymers, with polyethylene, polycarbonate, and PET being the most prevalent, and noted that wind patterns from coastal areas contributed to increased microplastic deposition on urban rooftops.
Article Abstract
This study investigated the atmospheric deposition of microplastics (MPs) in Auckland, New Zealand, from two sampling sites over a 9-week period. The sizes, morphologies, number counts, and mass concentrations of specific polymers were determined for airborne MPs using a combination of a Nile Red-assisted automated fluorescence microscopy technique in series with pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS). This enabled a larger number of MPs to be analyzed from each sample compared to traditional spectroscopic techniques. Microplastic number concentrations increased exponentially with decreasing size. The results show the importance of using consistent methodologies and size cutoffs when comparing microplastic data between studies. Eight polymers were quantified in the atmospheric deposition samples, with polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) being the most commonly observed. The largest MP deposition rates at an urban rooftop correlated with winds originating from the marine environment with speeds between 15 and 20 m s, indicating that airborne MPs in coastal regions may originate from wave-breaking mechanisms. This study represents the first report of using Pyr-GC/MS to determine the chemical compositions and mass concentrations of atmospheric microplastics, along with corresponding data on their sizes, morphologies, and number counts.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c05850 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Microplastic migration and transformation pathways and exposure health risks.
Environ Pollut
January 2025
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA. Electronic address:
Plastics play a crucial role in modern life, but improper use and disposal have resulted in microplastics becoming widespread in the environment, raising significant concerns about both the environment and human health. Extensive research has explored the transformation mechanisms, bioaccumulation, ecological impacts, and health risks associated with microplastics. The present review first analyzes the migration, transformation, and degradation pathways of microplastics on a global scale, and then synthesizes current knowledge on the types, sources, and migration pathways of microplastics in soil, atmosphere, and aquatic environments, emphasizing transformation mechanisms like photo-aging and microbial degradation, and detailing their ecological and human health impacts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssessing the impact of marine litter hotspot on atmospheric microplastics: A study of a coastal village.
Environ Pollut
January 2025
Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan. Electronic address:
Marine litter and microplastics (MPs) represent pressing environmental challenges. However, the impact of marine litter on airborne MPs near marine litter hotspot remains unexplored. In this study, we simultaneously collected airborne MPs, weather factors, and air pollutants in a village near a marine litter hotspot across different seasons in Taiwan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroplastic Pollution in the Water Column and Benthic Sediment of the San Pedro Bay, California, USA.
Environ Res
January 2025
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626.
The concentration, character, and distribution of microplastics in coastal marine environments remain poorly understood, with most research focusing on the abundance of microplastics at the sea surface. To address this gap, we conducted one of the first comprehensive assessments of microplastic distribution through the marine water column and in the benthic sediment during the wet and dry season in the coastal waters of the San Pedro Shelf, Southern California, USA. Microplastic concentrations in the water column did not vary significantly across season but were significantly higher in nearshore environments and at the surface of the water column.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInteraction of micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) with agricultural stored products and their pests.
Sci Total Environ
January 2025
Hubei Key Laboratory of Insect Resources Utilization and Sustainable Pest Management, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, Hubei, China. Electronic address:
Micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) pose significant environmental concerns due to their potential implications for ecosystems and human health. While previous research has primarily focused on the environmental impacts (aquatic ecosystem, soil health) of MNPs, this review investigates their interactions with agricultural stored products, specifically their effects on stored product pests and grain quality. MNPs can infiltrate grains through various pathways, including atmospheric deposition, plastic residues from cultivation, and pest activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRelations between microplastic contamination and stress biomarkers under two seasonal conditions in wild carps, mullets and flounders.
Mar Environ Res
January 2025
ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Estudos de Populações, Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Ecologia, (ECOTOX), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal; CIIMAR / CIMAR-LA - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Research Team of Aquatic Ecotoxicology and One Health, and Research Team of Contaminant Pathways in Marine Environment, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal. Electronic address:
Potential effects of microplastics (MP, plastic particles <5 mm) on the levels of multiple stress biomarkers were investigated in wild fish populations of Cyprinus carpio, Mugil cephalus, Platichthys flesus captured in the Minho River estuary located in the Iberian Peninsula. Specimens were collected in March and September 2018, corresponding to the end of winter and summer, respectively. Based on the concentration of MP determined by FT-IR analysis and morphological inspection, fishes from each species were divided into two groups: ≤0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!