Microplastic Aerosol Contamination in Porto (Portugal)

• Type: Other Publications
• Date: 2024

Authors

Logvina, Y (Author) Other; Moreira, DS (Author) Other; Santos, RP (Author) Other; Neves, IF (Author) Other; Ribeiro, H (Author) FCUP; Pinto da Silva, L (Author) FCUP; Joaquim C G E Esteves da Silva (Author) FCUP

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-016-ZP0

DOI: 10.20944/preprints202409.0356.v1

Abstract (EN): <jats:p>Microplastic pollution, particularly particles smaller than 5 mm, poses significant environmental and health risks due to their potential for long-range transport and inhalation. This study provides the first long-term assessment of airborne microplastics in Porto, Portugal, over 18 months (September 2022 to March 2024). Bi-weekly samples were collected using a Microplastic Collector NILU, which were size-fractionated into five categories (&gt;125 ¿m, 125-63 ¿m, 63-25 ¿m, 25-12 ¿m, and 12-1.2 ¿m), and quantified via optical microscopy. Microplastics (26 to 1,484 MPs/day/m²) and fibers (14 to 646 fibers/day/m²) showed increasing pollution trends. With a focus on the 12-1.2 ¿m size-range due to its classification as PM10 and PM2.5, the highest microplastic concentrations were 164 MPs/day/m² (12-1.2 ¿m) and 534 MPs/day/m² (25-12 ¿m). Recovery rates of methodology varied among polymers, with PP, PE-HD, and ABS showing high accuracy (75.9%) and PES significantly lower (26.5%). The study highlights significant temporal variability in airborne microplastic pollution, increasing trends, and the need for ongoing monitoring and targeted mitigation strategies to address associated health risks.</jats:p>

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific