Atmospheric warming contributions from airborne microplastics and nanoplastics
Researchers found colored airborne microplastics absorb far more sunlight than white particles and may warm the air about 16% as much as black carbon.
- A new study published in Nature Climate Change shows that airborne microplastics contribute to global warming by absorbing solar radiation, a finding that challenges previous climate model assumptions.
- Researchers at Fudan University discovered that particle color significantly influences heat absorption; pigmented particles absorb 75 times more light than colorless ones, with black, yellow, blue, and red varieties warming most.
- The model estimates a global radiative forcing of about 0.039 watts per square metre, equivalent to 16 per cent of soot's warming effect or roughly 200 coal-fired power plants operating annually.
- Radiative forcing varies significantly across regions, with the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre showing levels potentially five times higher than soot, while seasonal differences emerge particularly in polar summer months.
- Gilberto Binda of the University of Insubria in Varese, Italy, notes that microplastics represent a "substantial fraction" of pollutants and must be systematically included in future climate assessments and policy frameworks.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Researchers identify another factor in microplastics that contributes to global warming.
Microplastics can heat the air and influence the climate. According to the study, the effect reaches about 16 percent of the effect of soot.
Microplastics are contributing to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Coloured and black plastic particles trap up to 75 times more heat than white plastic particles, posing a serious threat to future climate change.
Microplastics can heat the air and influence the climate. According to the study, the effect reaches about 16 percent of the effect of soot.
That microplastics accelerate climate change is no longer just a hypothesis. A study published in Nature reveals that these particles can contribute significantly to global warming by absorbing solar radiation. The finding changes the scientific approach. Micro and nanoplastics in atmospheric suspension could act as climate pollutants similar to soot, expanding the environmental impact of plastic beyond oceans and soils.
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