Tiny plastic particles can be found in the sea air even far from coasts, according to a study recently published in the journal Nature Communications. The microplastics come from partly unexpected sources.
Microplastic particles are present in the marine atmosphere even in remote parts of the world. These tiny particles come from land sources but are also re-emitted into the atmosphere from the sea, a study by a team of German and Norwegian researchers led by Dr Barbara Scholz-Böttcher of the University of Oldenburg has shown. The scientists analysed air samples taken from various sites along the Norwegian coast all the way up to the Arctic region. The results have now been published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
The analysis revealed the omnipresence of polyester particles. Polyethylene terephthalate particles, which presumably entered the atmosphere in the form of textile fibres, were detected in all samples. Other plastic types were also present, including polypropylene polycarbonate and polystyrene. Tire wear particles, the tiny debris abraded from tires during driving and especially braking, were identified as another major source of microplastics. The researchers measured concentrations of up to 37.5 nanograms (one nanogram = one-billionth of a gram) of microplastics per cubic metre of air. “These pollutants are ubiquitous. We find them even in remote polar regions,”
Microplastics find their way into seawater via rivers, but also through the atmosphere — particles are washed out of the atmosphere by rain, for example. Another potential source is ship traffic. the paint and coatings used on ships is the main source of microplastics. In the current study, chemicals such as polyurethanes and epoxy resins typically used in paints and coatings for ships were also found in the air samples.
— read more University of Oldenburg | Aug 16, 2023