Abstract
The emerging threat of atmospheric microplastic pollution has prompted researchers to study areas previously considered beyond the reach of plastic. Investigating the range of atmospheric microplastic transport is key to understanding the global extent of this problem. While atmospheric microplastics have been discovered in the planetary boundary layer, their occurrence in the free troposphere is relatively unexplored. Confronting this is important because their presence in the free troposphere would facilitate transport over greater distances and thus the potential to reach more distal and remote parts of the planet. Here we show evidence of 0.09–0.66 microplastics particles/m3 over 4 summer months from the Pic du Midi Observatory at 2877 meters above sea level. These results exhibit true free tropospheric transport of microplastic, and high altitude microplastic particles <50 µm (aerodynamic diameter). Analysis of air/particle history modelling shows intercontinental and trans-oceanic transport of microplastics illustrating the potential for global aerosol microplastic transport.
Highlights
The emerging threat of atmospheric microplastic pollution has prompted researchers to study areas previously considered beyond the reach of plastic
The USA study[7] identified a correlation between dry deposition, regional dust deposition and indices representing broad-scale atmospheric patterns that point to the potential for free troposphere influence in atmospheric microplastic transport
The evidence illustrates that MP is present in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), at least at the sites tested, but how far these particles can travel is at least partially dependent on the altitude they can reach within the atmospheric environment
Summary
The emerging threat of atmospheric microplastic pollution has prompted researchers to study areas previously considered beyond the reach of plastic. The evidence illustrates that MP is present in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), at least at the sites tested, but how far these particles can travel is at least partially dependent on the altitude they can reach within the atmospheric environment. With this in mind, the logical question to ask is how ubiquitous is MP pollution in our atmosphere, has it reached the free troposphere and what is the extent of free tropospheric MP transport?
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