Preferential transport of microplastics by wind

Contamination of terrestrial and marine environments by plastic waste has been widely documented. Most research into the distribution microplastics focused on water but here we show that wind transport can be very effective in mobilising microplastic particles. A series tunnel experiments using two different substrates (sand soil), (microbeads fibres) 5 concentrations (ranging from 0 mg kg −1 dw to 1040 ) is used demonstrate are preferentially transported compared sand soil. When either untreated substrate beds (0 ), inclusion was not found significantly affect erosion threshold for any or geometric forms (fibres beads) tested. Averaged over all both types, enrichment lower microbeads than fibres. The fibres within entrained particulate matter one orders magnitude higher test bed substrates, ranging 98 498 278 726 This suggests shape needs carefully parameterized models atmospheric transport. We suggest could benefit previous investigations soil organic carbon. • ran determine susceptibility erosion. Fibrous microbeads. Particle may distance microplastics.