The microfibers the researchers collected were consistent with the kinds of textiles used in making clothing and in producing carpeting and industrial coatings, as well as outdoor gear like tents and waterproof clothing. That means “emissions from park users may contribute to the observed deposition rates, particularly in national parks with high visitation rates,” though the researchers concluded that those sources did not produce a large portion of the overall samples. Chelsea M. Rochman, an assistant professor of ecology at the University of Toronto who co-authored an accompanying commentary to the new study, said in an interview that the paper was not the first to show microplastics in atmospheric deposition, or even the atmospheric deposition of microplastics to remote places. But she added that the researchers seemed to be the first to ask through their research, “the basic science question: why and how is this happening.”The commentary stated that the idea of “plastic in rain” is the kind of discovery that can “strain one’s imagination.”Dr. Brahney added that the phenomenon could contribute to environmental disruption of microbial communities and cause broader ecological damage. Humans could be at risk, as well, she said; The presence of so many fine particles in the air means “we’re breathing it, too.” The health effects of taking in plastic particles is not well known, though the sizes of the particles detected are consistent with the size of those that accumulate in lung tissue, she said.

Source: New York Times June 11, 2020 18:00 UTC