Airborne microplastic monitoring: Developing a simplified outdoor sampling approach using pollen monitoring equipment

Abstract

A novel, yet simple, airborne microplastic (MP) sampling approach using global pollen monitoring equipment was applied to identify, characterise and quantify outdoor airborne MPs for the first time. Modification of Burkard spore trap tape adhesive provided particle capture and facilitated downstream spectroscopy analysis. 36 polymer types were identified from a total of 21 days sampling using Burkard spore traps at two locations (United Kingdom and South Africa). MPs were detected in 95 % of daily samples. Mean MP particle levels were 2.0 ± 0.9 MP m^-3 (11 polymer types) in Hull (U.K.), during March, 2.9 ± 2.0 MP m^-3 (16 types) in Hull in July, and 11.0 ± 5.7 MP m^-3 (29 types) in Gqeberha, (S.A.) in August 2023. The most abundant polymer type was nylon (Gqeberha). The approach was compared with two passive sampling methods whereby 27 polymer types were identified and of these, 6 types were above the limit of quantification (LOQ), with poly(methacrolein:styrene) (PMA/PS) the most abundant. Irregularly shaped MPs < 100 µm in length were predominant from all sampling approaches. For the first time, airborne MPs were chemically characterised and quantified using volumetric pollen sampling equipment, representing a viable approach for future airborne MP monitoring.