Microplastic in atmospheric fallouts of a developing Southeast Asian megacity under tropical climate

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 272; p. 129874
• Main Authors: Truong, Tran-Nguyen-Sang, Strady, Emilie, Kieu-Le, Thuy-Chung, Tran, Quoc-Viet, Le, Thi-Minh-Tam, Thuong, Quoc-Thinh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biodiversity and Ecology; Deposition fluxes; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Sciences; Fibers; Fragments; Ho chi minh city; Microplastics; Ocean, Atmosphere; Plastics - analysis; Sciences of the Universe; Tropical Climate; Viet Nam; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Wind; Fragments; Ho chi minh city; Viet Nam; Deposition fluxes; Fibers; Ho Chi Minh city
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129874

Microplastics in atmospheric fallouts from a developing megacity influenced by a tropical monsoon climate were investigated during a year. Three sites were selected according to the surrounding population density, the land use and occupation. The microplastic deposition fluxes varied between of 71–917 items m−2 d−1, for an observation size range of 300–5000 μm. Fibers predominated while fragments were observed occasionally. Unexpectedly, contrary to available scientific literature, deposition fluxes did not vary temporally with rainfall and wind intensity or direction, showing no effect of the tropical climate. Variations were observed between sites and were attributed to their environmental characteristics: population density and occupation space. The median length of fibers also differed between sites and could be related to in-situ fragmentation processes due to occupation space (solid waste treatment facility). Those first results from tropical climate region are showing interesting insights and are opening new perspectives on the understanding of microplastics fate from atmospheric fallouts. •Deposition flux of microplastics varied between 71 and 917 items m−2 d−1.•The majority of deposited microplastics were fibers.•Tropical monsoon climate does not influence the deposition fluxes of microplastics.•Population density and space occupation influence deposition fluxes of microplastics. The deposition flux of microplastics in a developing megacity varied between 71 and 917 items m−2 d−1 and was not influenced by tropical monsoon climate.