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Asian Scientist Magazine (Dec. 01, 2023) —Microplastics exist everywhere around us – soil, oceans, rivers, and even in human placentas. Now scientists in Japan have discovered microplastics in cloud water, which could potentially contaminate crops and water through “plastic rainfall”. The study was recently published in Environmental Chemistry Letters.
In the study, researchers from Waseda University in Tokyo analyzed cloud water collected from mists shrouding the summit of Mount Fuji, the southeastern foothills of Mount Fuji (Tarobo), and the summit of Mount Oyama in Japan, at altitudes ranging between 1,300 to 3,776 metres. They found 70 pieces of particles in the cloud water samples, which were sorted into nine different types of plastics, and one rubber.
The researchers collected the samples using fine wire devices and then applied advanced imaging techniques to analyze the samples. The plastics ranged in size from 7.1 to 94.6 micrometers, barely visible to naked eye, and in a concentration range of 6.7 to 13.9 pieces per litre.
Plastics smaller than 5 mm are referred to as microplastics. Previous research shows that large amounts of microplastics are ingested or inhaled by humans and animals alike and have been detected in multiple organs such as lung, heart, blood, placenta, and in faeces. The presence of microplastics in soil can reduce seed germination rates, and also trigger changes in soil water-holding capacity and soil structure.
The presence of hydrophilic or “water loving” bits of plastic was abundant in the cloud water, which confirmed that airborne microplastics play a key role in rapid cloud formation, which may have a negative impact on the climate, the study stated.
“Airborne microplastics degrade much faster in the upper atmosphere than on the ground due to strong ultraviolet radiation, and this degradation releases greenhouse gases and contributes to global warming. As a result, the findings of this study can be used to account for the effects of airborne microplastics in future global warming projections,” says lead author of the study, Hiroshi Okochi, professor at Waseda University.
The findings also suggest how microplastics are highly mobile and can travel long distances through the air.
“Ten million tons of these plastic bits end up in the ocean, released with the ocean spray, and find their way into the atmosphere. This implies that microplastics may have become an essential component of clouds, contaminating nearly everything we eat and drink via plastic rainfall,” states the study. The authors believe this is the first study on airborne microplastics in cloud water.
According to researchers, airborne microplastics in the cloud water originated primarily from the ocean. The ocean can also transfer airborne microplastics to the atmosphere through aerosolization processes.
The study warns that accumulation of airborne microplastics in the atmosphere, especially in the polar regions, could lead to significant changes in the ecological balance of the planet, leading to severe loss of biodiversity.
“Microplastics in the free troposphere are transported and contribute to global pollution. If the issue of ‘plastic air pollution’ is not addressed proactively, climate change and ecological risks may become a reality, causing irreversible and serious environmental damage in the future,” Okochi said in a statement.
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Source: Waseda University; Image: Shelly Liew/Asian Scientist Magazine
The article can be found at: “Airborne hydrophilic microplastics in cloud water at high altitudes and their role in cloud formation”
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of Asian Scientist or its staff.
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