A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition

Plastic production continues to increase every year, yet it is widely acknowledged that a significant portion of this material ends up in ecosystems as microplastics (MPs). Among all the environmental compartments affected by MPs, the atmosphere remains the least well-known. Here, we conducted a one...

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Autores: Edo Cuesta, Carlos|||0000-0003-0340-7327, Fernández Piñas, Francisca, Leganés Nieto, Francisco, Gómez, May, Martínez, Ico, Hernández Sánchez, Cintia, González Sálamo, Javier, Hernández Borges, Javier, López Castellanos, Joaquín, Bayo, Javier, Romera Castillo, Cristina, Elustondo, David, Santamaría, Carolina, Alonso, Rocío, García Gómez, Héctor, González Cascón, María Rosario, Martínez Hernández, María de las Virtudes, Ladanburu Aguirre, Junkal, Incera, Mónica, Gago, Jesús, Noya, Beatriz, Beiras, Ricardo, Muniategui Lorenzo, Soledad, Rosal García, Roberto|||0000-0003-0816-8775, González Pleiter, Miguel|||0000-0002-7674-4167
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/62304
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/62304
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166923
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Atmosphere
Atmospheric deposition
Airborne microplastics
Sampling methodology
Outdoor fallout
Urban areas
Química
Chemistry
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spelling A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic depositionEdo Cuesta, Carlos|||0000-0003-0340-7327Fernández Piñas, FranciscaLeganés Nieto, FranciscoGómez, MayMartínez, IcoHernández Sánchez, CintiaGonzález Sálamo, JavierHernández Borges, JavierLópez Castellanos, JoaquínBayo, JavierRomera Castillo, CristinaElustondo, DavidSantamaría, CarolinaAlonso, RocíoGarcía Gómez, HéctorGonzález Cascón, María RosarioMartínez Hernández, María de las VirtudesLadanburu Aguirre, JunkalIncera, MónicaGago, JesúsNoya, BeatrizBeiras, RicardoMuniategui Lorenzo, SoledadRosal García, Roberto|||0000-0003-0816-8775González Pleiter, Miguel|||0000-0002-7674-4167AtmosphereAtmospheric depositionAirborne microplasticsSampling methodologyOutdoor falloutUrban areasQuímicaChemistryPlastic production continues to increase every year, yet it is widely acknowledged that a significant portion of this material ends up in ecosystems as microplastics (MPs). Among all the environmental compartments affected by MPs, the atmosphere remains the least well-known. Here, we conducted a one-year simultaneous monitoring of atmospheric MPs deposition in ten urban areas, each with different population sizes, economic activities, and climates. The objective was to assess the role of the atmosphere in the fate of MPs by conducting a nationwide quantification of atmospheric MP deposition. To achieve this, we deployed collectors in ten different urban areas across continental Spain and the Canary Islands. We implemented a systematic sampling methodology with rigorous quality control/quality assurance, along with particle-oriented identification and quantification of anthropogenic particle deposition, which included MPs and industrially processed natural fibres. Among the sampled MPs, polyester fibres were the most abundant, followed by acrylic polymers, polypropylene, and alkyd resins. Their equivalent sizes ranged from 22 ?m to 398 ?m, with a median value of 71 ?m. The particle size distribution of MPs showed fewer large particles than expected from a three-dimensional fractal fragmentation pattern, which was attributed to the higher mobility of small particles, especially fibres. The atmospheric deposition rate of MPs ranged from 5.6 to 78.6 MPs m?2 day?1, with the higher values observed in densely populated areas such as Barcelona and Madrid. Additionally, we detected natural polymers, mostly cellulosic fibres with evidence of industrial processing, with a deposition rate ranging from 6.4 to 58.6 particles m?2 day?1. There was a positive correlation was found between the population of the study area and the median of atmospheric MP deposition, supporting the hypothesis that urban areas act as sources of atmospheric MPs. Our study presents a systematic methodology for monitoring atmospheric MP deposition.20232023-09-2320232023-09-2320252025-09-23journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501NAhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_be7fb7dd8ff6fe43info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10017/62304https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166923reponame:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcaláinstname:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/623042026-06-18T11:13:07Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
title A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
spellingShingle A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
Edo Cuesta, Carlos|||0000-0003-0340-7327
Atmosphere
Atmospheric deposition
Airborne microplastics
Sampling methodology
Outdoor fallout
Urban areas
Química
Chemistry
title_short A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
title_full A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
title_fullStr A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
title_full_unstemmed A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
title_sort A nationwide monitoring of atmospheric microplastic deposition
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Edo Cuesta, Carlos|||0000-0003-0340-7327
Fernández Piñas, Francisca
Leganés Nieto, Francisco
Gómez, May
Martínez, Ico
Hernández Sánchez, Cintia
González Sálamo, Javier
Hernández Borges, Javier
López Castellanos, Joaquín
Bayo, Javier
Romera Castillo, Cristina
Elustondo, David
Santamaría, Carolina
Alonso, Rocío
García Gómez, Héctor
González Cascón, María Rosario
Martínez Hernández, María de las Virtudes
Ladanburu Aguirre, Junkal
Incera, Mónica
Gago, Jesús
Noya, Beatriz
Beiras, Ricardo
Muniategui Lorenzo, Soledad
Rosal García, Roberto|||0000-0003-0816-8775
González Pleiter, Miguel|||0000-0002-7674-4167
author Edo Cuesta, Carlos|||0000-0003-0340-7327
author_facet Edo Cuesta, Carlos|||0000-0003-0340-7327
Fernández Piñas, Francisca
Leganés Nieto, Francisco
Gómez, May
Martínez, Ico
Hernández Sánchez, Cintia
González Sálamo, Javier
Hernández Borges, Javier
López Castellanos, Joaquín
Bayo, Javier
Romera Castillo, Cristina
Elustondo, David
Santamaría, Carolina
Alonso, Rocío
García Gómez, Héctor
González Cascón, María Rosario
Martínez Hernández, María de las Virtudes
Ladanburu Aguirre, Junkal
Incera, Mónica
Gago, Jesús
Noya, Beatriz
Beiras, Ricardo
Muniategui Lorenzo, Soledad
Rosal García, Roberto|||0000-0003-0816-8775
González Pleiter, Miguel|||0000-0002-7674-4167
author_role author
author2 Fernández Piñas, Francisca
Leganés Nieto, Francisco
Gómez, May
Martínez, Ico
Hernández Sánchez, Cintia
González Sálamo, Javier
Hernández Borges, Javier
López Castellanos, Joaquín
Bayo, Javier
Romera Castillo, Cristina
Elustondo, David
Santamaría, Carolina
Alonso, Rocío
García Gómez, Héctor
González Cascón, María Rosario
Martínez Hernández, María de las Virtudes
Ladanburu Aguirre, Junkal
Incera, Mónica
Gago, Jesús
Noya, Beatriz
Beiras, Ricardo
Muniategui Lorenzo, Soledad
Rosal García, Roberto|||0000-0003-0816-8775
González Pleiter, Miguel|||0000-0002-7674-4167
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Atmosphere
Atmospheric deposition
Airborne microplastics
Sampling methodology
Outdoor fallout
Urban areas
Química
Chemistry
topic Atmosphere
Atmospheric deposition
Airborne microplastics
Sampling methodology
Outdoor fallout
Urban areas
Química
Chemistry
description Plastic production continues to increase every year, yet it is widely acknowledged that a significant portion of this material ends up in ecosystems as microplastics (MPs). Among all the environmental compartments affected by MPs, the atmosphere remains the least well-known. Here, we conducted a one-year simultaneous monitoring of atmospheric MPs deposition in ten urban areas, each with different population sizes, economic activities, and climates. The objective was to assess the role of the atmosphere in the fate of MPs by conducting a nationwide quantification of atmospheric MP deposition. To achieve this, we deployed collectors in ten different urban areas across continental Spain and the Canary Islands. We implemented a systematic sampling methodology with rigorous quality control/quality assurance, along with particle-oriented identification and quantification of anthropogenic particle deposition, which included MPs and industrially processed natural fibres. Among the sampled MPs, polyester fibres were the most abundant, followed by acrylic polymers, polypropylene, and alkyd resins. Their equivalent sizes ranged from 22 ?m to 398 ?m, with a median value of 71 ?m. The particle size distribution of MPs showed fewer large particles than expected from a three-dimensional fractal fragmentation pattern, which was attributed to the higher mobility of small particles, especially fibres. The atmospheric deposition rate of MPs ranged from 5.6 to 78.6 MPs m?2 day?1, with the higher values observed in densely populated areas such as Barcelona and Madrid. Additionally, we detected natural polymers, mostly cellulosic fibres with evidence of industrial processing, with a deposition rate ranging from 6.4 to 58.6 particles m?2 day?1. There was a positive correlation was found between the population of the study area and the median of atmospheric MP deposition, supporting the hypothesis that urban areas act as sources of atmospheric MPs. Our study presents a systematic methodology for monitoring atmospheric MP deposition.
publishDate 2023
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023
2023-09-23
2023
2023-09-23
2025
2025-09-23
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
NA
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_be7fb7dd8ff6fe43
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10017/62304
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166923
url http://hdl.handle.net/10017/62304
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166923
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
instname:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
instname_str Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
reponame_str e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
collection e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
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