Qualitative Determination of Microplastics in Indoor Air

Micro- and nanoplastics pollution in sediments and waterways is an ongoing and well-documented issue. Microplastics can also be present in the air. Industrial processes, wildfires, exhaust fumes, tire wear, and waste incineration are some sources of microplastics in outdoor air. For indoor air, sources of microplastics include abrasion of building materials, carpeting, furniture, personal care products, paints, the burning of candles and fireplaces, and emissions from electrical components. This work will show the identification of plastics in indoor air using particulate matter filtration. The filters are analyzed using the GERSTEL pyrolyzer in conjunction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).