A recent study in Japan has determined the presence of microplastics within clouds, suggesting these particles might be influencing the climate in currently unknown ways.
The research, published in the journal Environmental Chemistry Letters, saw scientists scaling the heights of Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama. Their aim was to gather water samples from the mists enveloping these mountains. Subsequent analysis using state-of-the-art imaging techniques helped ascertain the samples’ physical and chemical composition.
From their findings, the researchers identified nine distinct polymer types and a kind of rubber among the airborne microplastics. The size of these particles spanned from 7.1 to 94.6 micrometres. The study quantified that every litre (0.26 gallon) of cloud water contained between 6.7 to 13.9 fragments of these plastics.
Hiroshi Okochi from Waseda University, the study’s lead author, commented on the severity of these findings. He cautioned that neglecting the problem of “plastic air pollution” might culminate in extreme climate change and ecological threats, potentially causing irreparable environmental damage in the future.
Furthermore, Okochi shed light on the fact that upon reaching the upper atmosphere and exposure to ultraviolet radiation, these microplastics deteriorate, further aggravating greenhouse gas emissions.
The sources of microplastics are diverse, with definitions describing them as plastic pieces less than 5 millimetres originating from industrial waste, synthetic car tyres, textiles, personal care products, and more. Their traces have previously been identified in diverse environments like fish, Arctic sea ice, and even the Pyrenees mountains’ snows that straddle France and Spain. However, the mechanisms enabling their dispersal to these vast and varied locations, especially their airborne transportation, had remained elusive until now.
In a significant revelation, the authors of this study highlighted, “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on airborne microplastics in cloud water.”
A statement from Waseda University further detailed the pervasive reach of these microplastics, which are now known to be ingested and inhaled by both humans and animals. Discoveries have identified them in various organs, including the lungs, heart, placenta, and even in feces. The university’s statement also pointed out that an estimated ten million tons of these microplastic particles find their way to oceans annually. Consequently, they become airborne with ocean sprays, suggesting their potential incorporation into clouds, leading to a phenomenon referred to as “plastic rainfall.”
Emerging studies have started associating microplastics with a plethora of health issues, including their impact on heart and lung health, potential causation of certain cancers, and their vast detrimental effects on the environment.
