Microplastics (MPs), particles with a size <5 mm, are ubiquitous in water, soil, and atmosphere, and have become a highly discussed environmental issue. Although atmospheric MPs have received less attention than MPs in soil and water, their possible environmental consequences are being examined in more depth. This study systematically reviews the sources, transport, distribution, and variations of atmospheric MPs, their interactions with other pollutants in the environment and impact on human health based on the literature. The results show that MPs have been identified in diverse atmospheric settings such as urban, sub-urban, and remote areas as well as in indoor air. These airborne MPs can originate from terrestrial sources like landfills, synthetic clothing, and plastic manufacturing, use and recycling activities, as well as from aquatic sources like MPs resulting from bubble bursting. The outdoor MP abundance was detected in a range of 2 to 1159 MP/m/day in depositions and 0 to 224 MP/m in suspended samples, while significantly higher abundance was observed indoors with depositions ranging from 22 to 760,000 MP/m/day and suspended from 0.4 to 1583 MP/m. The distribution characteristics of atmospheric MPs are affected by several factors such as urbanization, anthropogenic activities, indoor and outdoor environments and seasons. Atmospheric transport of MPs occurs through suspension, horizontal transport and deposition processes that are greatly influenced by the morphology of the MP, wind speed and direction, precipitation and other atmospheric factors. The transport path of MPs in the atmosphere is studied by Lagrangian atmospheric models by conducting backward trajectory simulations to estimate linear trajectories of MPs at sampling locations to discern their potential origin and travel distance. MPs can also interact with a variety of chemical pollutants and microorganisms in the environment and thus act as a vector for pollutant transport. The toxicity of MPs may be increased by the release of pathogens and chemical contaminants into the environment, thereby increasing the health risk to humans. Based on the study, it is suggested that further scientific research on atmospheric MPs should focus on the standardization of research methods, atmospheric transport mechanisms, interactions of MPs with atmospheric pollutants and ecological impacts. As MPs could enter the human body through various mechanisms, it is urgent to study their physiological effects on the human body when exposed to atmospheric MP pollution.

中文翻译：

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Aloft 微塑料：全面探索大气领域的来源、传输、变化、相互作用及其对人类健康的影响


微塑料（MP）是一种尺寸<5毫米的颗粒，在水、土壤和大气中普遍存在，已成为备受关注的环境问题。尽管大气中的 MP 受到的关注少于土壤和水中的 MP，但它们可能产生的环境后果正在得到更深入的研究。本研究在文献基础上系统综述了大气MPs的来源、迁移、分布和变化、它们与环境中其他污染物的相互作用以及对人类健康的影响。结果表明，在城市、郊区、偏远地区以及室内空气等不同的大气环境中都发现了 MP。这些空气中的 MP 可能来自陆地来源，如垃圾填埋场、合成服装和塑料制造、使用和回收活动，也可能来自水生来源，如气泡破裂产生的 MP。室外沉积物中检测到的 MP 丰度范围为 2 至 1159 MP/m3/天，悬浮样品中检测到的 MP 丰度范围为 0 至 224 MP/m3，而室内沉积物中检测到的丰度明显更高，范围为 22 至 760,000 MP/m3/天。并暂停 0.4 至 1583 MP/m。大气MPs的分布特征受城市化、人类活动、室内外环境和季节等多种因素的影响。 MPs的大气输送通过悬浮、水平输送和沉积过程发生，受MPs形态、风速风向、降水等大气因素的影响较大。 利用拉格朗日大气模型研究MP在大气中的传输路径，通过进行向后轨迹模拟来估计MP在采样位置的线性轨迹，从而辨别其潜在的来源和传播距离。 MP还可以与环境中的多种化学污染物和微生物相互作用，从而充当污染物传输的载体。病原体和化学污染物释放到环境中可能会增加 MP 的毒性，从而增加人类的健康风险。在此基础上，建议大气MPs的进一步科学研究应重点关注研究方法的标准化、大气传输机制、MPs与大气污染物的相互作用以及生态影响等方面。由于MP可以通过多种机制进入人体，因此迫切需要研究其在大气MP污染下对人体的生理影响。