WASHINGTON — Researchers in Japan have confirmed microplastics are present in clouds, where they are likely affecting the climate in ways that aren't yet fully understood.
In a study published in Environmental Chemistry Letters, scientists climbed Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama in order to collect water from the mists that shroud their peaks, then applied advanced imaging techniques to the samples to determine their physical and chemical properties.
"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," lead author Professor Hiroshi Okochi of Waseda University warned in a statement on Wednesday . Microplastics — defined as plastic particles under 5mm — come from industrial effluent, textiles, synthetic car tires, personal care products and much more.
But the mechanisms of their transport have remained unclear, with research on airborne microplastic transport in particular limited.
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Japanese scientists find microplastics are present in cloudsThe team identified nine different types of polymers and one type of rubber in the airborne microplastics. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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Japanese scientists find microplastics are present in cloudsWASHINGTON: Researchers in Japan have confirmed microplastics are present in clouds, where they are likely affecting the climate in ways that aren't yet fully understood. In a study published in Environmental Chemistry Letters, scientists climbed Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama in order to collect water from th
Read more »