▲ Plastic waste
An average of 200 to 300 microplastic particles have been measured per cubic meter of air in South Korea.
The majority of the detected microplastics consisted of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which are commonly used in plastic bags and packaging materials.
According to a report titled "Development of Test Methods and Evaluation of Field Applicability for Measuring Microplastics in Ambient Air," recently released by the National Institute of Environmental Research on July 12, air samples collected from a residential area in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and an industrial complex in Ansan showed an average of 233 and 319 particles per cubic meter, respectively.
The research team collected air samples for 23 hours a day for five days from June 10 to 16 of last year in the Gwacheon residential area, and for one week from May 24 to 30 of last year in the Ansan industrial complex.
In the Gwacheon residential area, microplastics sized 5–10 micrometers (㎛) accounted for 38%, and those sized 10–20 ㎛ accounted for over 34%, indicating that most microplastics were in the 5–20 ㎛ range.
In the Ansan industrial complex, 64% of the microplastics were 1–5 ㎛ in size, while 13% were 5–10 ㎛.
One micrometer is one-thousandth of a millimeter.
By composition, PE and PP accounted for a high proportion in most samples.
PE and PP are the primary raw materials for plastic bags, plastic packaging, and various household goods.
In the case of Gwacheon, the proportions of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyurethane (PU) were relatively high, which researchers estimated originated from building materials or coating finishes.
In Ansan, there was a high proportion of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), which is generated from tire wear.
The research team explained that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA) microplastics were also detected in the samples from the Gwacheon residential area, likely originating from clothing.
Concerns have been raised that microplastics may have adverse effects on human health and the environment.
However, there is currently no clear evidence to prove their toxicity, and no internationally agreed-upon definition has been established.
Nevertheless, concerns are growing as reports emerge that airborne microplastics can penetrate human lung tissue and that they remain widely present throughout ecosystems, potentially causing toxicity.
In particular, the possibility has recently been raised that microplastics may accelerate climate change by obstructing greenhouse gas cycles and altering light reflection characteristics, known as "albedo."
The National Institute of Environmental Research stated that it is working to have the atmospheric microplastic analysis method currently under development adopted as an international standard.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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