Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Microplastics, defined as plastic particles ≤5 mm in size, have become a defining contaminant of the Anthropocene. They are now found in soils, rivers, deep-sea sediments, polar ice, and even human tissues, with global emissions estimated at 10 to 40 million tonnes per year and expected to rise 1 . Yet most scientific assessments and policy efforts still focus on microplastics in soils and aquatic systems 2 , overlooking the atmosphere as both a rapid transport pathway and a direct route of human exposure. Recognizing the atmospheric dimension is essential because it links pollution sources and remote environments on timescales of days to weeks, making microplastics a truly global pollutant.
Source: npj Emerging Contaminants
Authors: Qiong Li, Min Zhou, Shuaishuai Ma
Institutions: Quzhou University, Zhejiang University of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,590
OpenAlex ID: W7155602232