Pyroplastic particulate matter from fire events adds a hidden dimension of plastic pollution
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Wildfires and structural fires increasingly involve synthetic materials, yet plastic transformation during combustion remains poorly understood. Here we characterise plastic-derived particulate matter generated during fire events, termed pyroplastic particulate matter (PyP-PM): airborne micro- to nanoscale particles from thermal degradation of synthetic polymers, comprising carbonized polymer matrices enriched with combustion-derived toxicants and additives, particularly the inhalable fraction ( < 10 μm). PyP-PM is physicochemically and toxicologically distinct from conventional micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs): a carbonaceous soot core bears adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals, conferring elevated oxidative potential, alongside environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) that extend particle reactivity in the atmosphere. Generated during wildfires, structural fires, and open burning at wildland-urban interfaces (WUI), PyP-PM combines MNP environmental persistence with the toxicity of combustion by-products and additives. This review outlines PyP-PM formation pathways, chemistry, and dispersion, emphasising long-range atmospheric transport and accumulation in ecosystems and human lungs. We identify research gaps, including the absence of standardised detection methods, limited toxicological evidence (particularly on neuroinflammatory pathways), and poor integration of PyP-PM into fire and air-quality models. Recognising PyP-PM as an emergent pollutant at the climate-fire-plastic nexus is essential for advancing monitoring frameworks, informing fire management policy, and protecting vulnerable communities from fire-driven pollution. Thermal degradation of plastics during wildfires, structural fires, and waste burning releases airborne particles containing altered polymers, combustion pollutants, and additives, highlighting the climate–fire–plastic nexus, based on a review assessing pyroplastic as an emerging pollutant.
Institutions: University of Newcastle Australia, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers Health, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, JSS Medical College and Hospital, Institute of Plant Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, University of Canberra
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,490
OpenAlex ID: W7204168140