Overview
- Scientists sampling Guangzhou and Xi’an report airborne micro- and nanoplastics roughly two to five times higher than earlier estimates.
- Using computer‑controlled scanning electron microscopy, the team found total suspended particles and dustfall fluxes two to six times above visual methods and detected particles down to about 200 nanometres.
- The authors say these particles can remain aloft, may help seed clouds, and could pose health risks if inhaled, potentially carrying additives or other contaminants.
- Methodological scrutiny is intensifying as a Nature Medicine brain‑tissue paper faces critiques over duplicated images and possible contamination, and separate work shows some tests can mistake fats for plastics.
- Experts outline practical steps to cut exposure, including avoiding microwaving worn plastic containers, switching to glass, metal or wood, pre‑boiling new plastic kettles, air‑drying clothes, and choosing tap water over bottled drinks that can contain up to about 240,000 particles per liter.