Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment

Microplastics (MPs) are anthropogenic emerging contaminants which have been detected in the air, raising global concerns about their effects on the environment as well as human health. This study presents the first investigation of MP concentration in indoor air, specifically in public libraries loc...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Zuri, Giuseppina, Lacorte Bruguera, Silvia, Karanasiou, Angeliki
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/424382
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/424382
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105032194112
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Pyr-GC/MS
Airborne microplastics
Indoor air
Microplastic inhalation
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/8
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
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spelling Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure AssessmentZuri, GiuseppinaLacorte Bruguera, SilviaKaranasiou, AngelikiPyr-GC/MSAirborne microplasticsIndoor airMicroplastic inhalationhttp://metadata.un.org/sdg/11http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3http://metadata.un.org/sdg/8http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all agesPromote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for allMake cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainableEnsure sustainable consumption and production patternsMicroplastics (MPs) are anthropogenic emerging contaminants which have been detected in the air, raising global concerns about their effects on the environment as well as human health. This study presents the first investigation of MP concentration in indoor air, specifically in public libraries located in Barcelona (Spain), an environment that has remained largely unexplored in this context. To achieve this, we employed the pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS) method targeting nine of the most widely used plastic polymers: polyethylene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, nitrile butadiene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polystyrene. The method enables the quantification of the ions in air samples by means of external calibration with high accuracy and precision. Morphological analysis revealed fibres as the predominant particle shape, and polymer identification showed that polyethylene was the only polymer detected in 100% of the samples with a concentration of up to 5.1 μg m<sup>−3</sup> of air, indicating sources such as textiles, containers and appliances brought inside the libraries by visitors. While the other polymers′ concentration was below the method detection limit, their presence cannot be excluded. The results have been used to assess the inhalation of MP in libraries based on typical adult respiratory volumes, revealing that during a 3-h stay in a library, an adult might inhale up to 7.1 μg of MP, while a child might inhale 2.0 μg of MP. Currently, no evidence-based threshold has been established to determine the concentration of MP that poses a risk to human health, precluding definitive conclusions on the health risks of estimated inhalation exposure.This study was supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation, 10.13039/100010434, ID 100010434 LCF/BQ/DI21/11860062, and Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Excelencia Severo Ochoa, Project CEX 2018-000794-S and Project PID2022-137766NB-I00), MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The authors also acknowledge support from project InChildHealth (Grant Agreement ID: 101056883), by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.Peer reviewedWiley-VCH0000-0003-1224-6369Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501Publisher's versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10261/424382https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105032194112reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Inglés#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/MCIN/AEI/10.13039Indoor Airhttps://doi.org/10.1155/ina/5757232Síinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/4243822026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
title Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
spellingShingle Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
Zuri, Giuseppina
Pyr-GC/MS
Airborne microplastics
Indoor air
Microplastic inhalation
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/8
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
title_short Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
title_full Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
title_fullStr Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
title_full_unstemmed Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
title_sort Quantification of Airborne Microplastics in Public Libraries by Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS and Human Exposure Assessment
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Zuri, Giuseppina
Lacorte Bruguera, Silvia
Karanasiou, Angeliki
author Zuri, Giuseppina
author_facet Zuri, Giuseppina
Lacorte Bruguera, Silvia
Karanasiou, Angeliki
author_role author
author2 Lacorte Bruguera, Silvia
Karanasiou, Angeliki
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv 0000-0003-1224-6369
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Pyr-GC/MS
Airborne microplastics
Indoor air
Microplastic inhalation
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/8
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
topic Pyr-GC/MS
Airborne microplastics
Indoor air
Microplastic inhalation
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/11
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/3
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/8
http://metadata.un.org/sdg/12
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
description Microplastics (MPs) are anthropogenic emerging contaminants which have been detected in the air, raising global concerns about their effects on the environment as well as human health. This study presents the first investigation of MP concentration in indoor air, specifically in public libraries located in Barcelona (Spain), an environment that has remained largely unexplored in this context. To achieve this, we employed the pyrolysis gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS) method targeting nine of the most widely used plastic polymers: polyethylene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, nitrile butadiene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polystyrene. The method enables the quantification of the ions in air samples by means of external calibration with high accuracy and precision. Morphological analysis revealed fibres as the predominant particle shape, and polymer identification showed that polyethylene was the only polymer detected in 100% of the samples with a concentration of up to 5.1 μg m<sup>−3</sup> of air, indicating sources such as textiles, containers and appliances brought inside the libraries by visitors. While the other polymers′ concentration was below the method detection limit, their presence cannot be excluded. The results have been used to assess the inhalation of MP in libraries based on typical adult respiratory volumes, revealing that during a 3-h stay in a library, an adult might inhale up to 7.1 μg of MP, while a child might inhale 2.0 μg of MP. Currently, no evidence-based threshold has been established to determine the concentration of MP that poses a risk to human health, precluding definitive conclusions on the health risks of estimated inhalation exposure.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
Publisher's version
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/424382
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105032194112
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/424382
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105032194112
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv #PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/MCIN/AEI/10.13039
Indoor Air
https://doi.org/10.1155/ina/5757232
Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley-VCH
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley-VCH
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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