Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141410
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Fine micro- and nanoplastics concentrations in particulate matter samples from the high alpine site Sonnblick, Austria
Author Kau, D.; Materić, D.; Holzinger, R.; Baumann-Stanzer, K.; Schauer, G.; Kasper-Giebl, A.
Source Titel Chemosphere
Year 2024
Department EAC
Volume 352
Page From art. 141410
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
Data and Software links https://doi.org/10.48436/qfpa8-ga860
Supplements https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0045653524003035-mmc1.docx
Keywords Particulate matter; Microplastics; Nanoplastics; High alpine environment; Mineral dust
Abstract We report atmospheric fine micro- and nanoplastics concentrations from particulate matter (PM) samples of two size fractions (PM10, fine micro- and nanoplastics, and PM1, nanoplastics), which were collected at the remote high alpine station Sonnblick Observatory, Austria. Active sampling was performed from June 2021 until April 2022. Analysis was done using TD-PTR-MS to detect 6 different plastic types. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene/polypropylene carbonate (PP/PPC) were found to be the dominating species. PET was detected in almost all samples, while the other plastic types occurred more episodically. Furthermore, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and tire wear particles were detected in single samples. Considering the three main plastic types, average plastics concentrations were 35 and 21 ng m³ with maximum concentrations of 165 and 113 ng m³ for PM10 and PM1, respectively. Average polymer concentrations were higher in the summer/fall period than in winter/spring. In summer/fall, PM10 plastics concentrations were higher by a factor of 2 compared to PM1, while concentrations of both size classes were comparable in the winter/spring period. This suggests that in the colder season plastic particles arriving at the Eastern Alpine crests are mainly present as nanoplastics. The contribution of micro- and nanoplastics to organic matter at the remote site was found to be comparable to data determined at an urban site. We found significant correlations between the PET concentration and tracers originating from anthropogenic activities such as elemental carbon, nitrate, ammonium, and sulphate as well as organic carbon and arabitol.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=28785
Kau, D., Materić, D., Holzinger, R., Baumann-Stanzer, K., Schauer, G., Kasper-Giebl, A. (2024):
Fine micro- and nanoplastics concentrations in particulate matter samples from the high alpine site Sonnblick, Austria
Chemosphere 352 , art. 141410 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141410