Abstract
The omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in various environmental samples, including aerosols, has raised public health concerns; however, there is presently very limited information on MPs in indoor aerosol. This paper presents a unique dataset where smaller MPs have been sampled using a six-stage cascade impactor from indoor environments in Kuwait. The MP concentration in the indoor air varied between 3.2 and 27.1 particles m−3, and the relative MP concentration decreased linearly from the lowest to the highest size fraction. A significant effect of location was observed for the total number of MPs (F2,14 = 5.80, p = 0.02) and the inhalable fraction (F2,14 = 8.38, p = 0.005), while location had no effect on the respirable fraction (F2,14 = 0.54, p = 0.60). A significant effect of the type of air conditioning used was also observed for the total number of MPs (F2,19 = 5.58, p = 0.01) and the inhalable fraction (F2,19 = 6.45, p = 0.008), while location had no effect on the respirable fraction (F2,19 = 1.30, p = 0.30). For the total number of MPs and the inhalable fraction, the concentration was significantly higher for the split unit air-conditioning as compared to the central air-conditioning plants. The presence/absence of carpets had no significant effect on the MP concentrations (total: F1,19 = 4.08, p = 0.06; inhalable: F1,19 = 3.03, p = 0.10; respirable: F1,19 = 4.27, p = 0.05). The shape was dominantly fibers, with few fragments in lower size fractions. These datasets represent the first baseline information for Kuwait, and the smaller MPs in all the samples further underscore the need to develop standardized protocols of MP collection in the ≤2.5 µm fraction that can have more conspicuous health implications.
Highlights
The persistent nature and omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in the aquatic environment has attracted massive attention from the scientific community
This study confirms the presence of microplastic in the indoor air-conditioned buildings across Kuwait, a hyper-arid country, where most of the activities are indoor
The study adds to the limited data on MPs in indoor aerosols; the concentrations vary across different types of buildings, depending on type of air conditioning
Summary
The persistent nature and omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in the aquatic environment has attracted massive attention from the scientific community. The ecological concern from microplastics emanates from the fact that they can be inhaled by humans and can potentially lead to adverse health effects, such as localized inflammation [40], genotoxicity [4], and the development of oxidative stress and cytotoxicity [36]. For this reason, it is prudent to look at the finer MPs that can be inhaled [41]. The present study is the first attempt to generate data on MP in Kuwait’s indoor aerosols, which addresses the larger issue of the paucity of MP data in indoor air and considers the fact that due to the extremely hot and arid climate in Kuwait, people spend most of their time indoors in an air-conditioned atmosphere where the fresh air input and exchange is very limited
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