Scientists have been discussing the possibility that microplastic mists and clouds exist in the atmosphere but this is the first study to quantify the magnitude of the problem
As much as 74 tonnes of microplastics fell from the air and settled on rooftops, gardens and other surfaces in Auckland, New Zealand in 2020. This baffling observation is made by a study published on December 12, 2022, in the Environmental Science & Technology journal.
To give it context, 74 tonnes of microplastic is equivalent to three million plastic bottles. Microplastics are formed during the making of plastic products and the breaking down of large plastics due to weathering and ageing.
According to the study, we may inhale substantial quantities of microplastics with every breath. And these plastics will eventually flow into our blood and accumulate in our organs.
Scientists have been discussing the possibility that microplastic mists and clouds exist in the atmosphere but this is the first study to quantify the magnitude of the problem.
The researchers from the University of Auckland used a coloured dye that emits light under certain conditions to identify the microplastics because they are invisible to the naked eye.
On average, 4,885 airborne plastic particles had accumulated in one square metre in one day, they found. These tiny pieces of plastic less than five millimetres in length have already invaded our food chains and have been found even in newborn babies.
The smaller the particles, the more harmful it is to human health. Finally, the researchers noted that breaking waves of seas may be transporting the microplastics far and wide. This can help us understand how microplastics spread through the atmosphere.
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