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![]() ![]() Considering the lower size cutoff for microplastics i.e., 1 µm, the fine MPs have greater potential to be transferred via aerosolization into the human respiratory system. For this reason, it is prudent to look at the finer MPs that can be inhaled. ![]() The ecological concern from microplastics emanates from the fact that they can be inhaled by humans and can potentially lead to adverse health effects, such as localized inflammation, genotoxicity, and the development of oxidative stress and cytotoxicity. Aerosols can be a significant pathway for transferring MPs to humans via inhalation. The presence of microplastics in the air has been related to release from clothing, furnishings, synthetic tires, and degraded plastics, among other causes. In contrast, research on MP in aerosols remains less explored, with less than two dozen studies on outdoor air and only a few on indoor air. Several thousand publications on MP in the aquatic environment have been published since 2004, when the term was first introduced. The persistent nature and omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in the aquatic environment has attracted massive attention from the scientific community. These datasets represent the first baseline information for Kuwait, and the smaller MPs in all the samples further underscore the need to develop standardized protocols of MP collection in the ≤2.5 µm fraction that can have more conspicuous health implications. The shape was dominantly fibers, with few fragments in lower size fractions. The presence/absence of carpets had no significant effect on the MP concentrations (total: F 1,19 = 4.08, p = 0.06 inhalable: F 1,19 = 3.03, p = 0.10 respirable: F 1,19 = 4.27, p = 0.05). ![]() For the total number of MPs and the inhalable fraction, the concentration was significantly higher for the split unit air-conditioning as compared to the central air-conditioning plants. A significant effect of the type of air conditioning used was also observed for the total number of MPs (F 2,19 = 5.58, p = 0.01) and the inhalable fraction (F 2,19 = 6.45, p = 0.008), while location had no effect on the respirable fraction (F 2,19 = 1.30, p = 0.30). A significant effect of location was observed for the total number of MPs (F 2,14 = 5.80, p = 0.02) and the inhalable fraction (F 2,14 = 8.38, p = 0.005), while location had no effect on the respirable fraction (F 2,14 = 0.54, p = 0.60). The MP concentration in the indoor air varied between 3.2 and 27.1 particles m −3, and the relative MP concentration decreased linearly from the lowest to the highest size fraction. This paper presents a unique dataset where smaller MPs have been sampled using a six-stage cascade impactor from indoor environments in Kuwait. Taken together, our results suggest that various rooms in the home exhibit distinct MP abundances and bacterial structures that may be affected by age, cleanliness, and human activities.The omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in various environmental samples, including aerosols, has raised public health concerns however, there is presently very limited information on MPs in indoor aerosol. The abundances of polyamide (PA), polyurethane (PU), and polyethylene (PE) showed positive correlations with the relative abundances of major bacterial phyla. Furthermore, a significant correlation between MP concentration and bacterial community structure was observed. In addition, the homes of elderly families (age 68–81 years) showed higher bacterial concentrations than those of young families (age 28–35 years), indicating that age markedly affects the structure of household microbiota. The abundance and composition of MPs are related to the duration of usage, human activities, goods, cleanliness, and the composition of occupants (family members) in households. We identified synthetic polymers (23,889 MP particles of 21 types) and bacterial communities (383 genera belong to 24 phyla) collected through atmospheric deposition in various rooms of 20 homes. We investigated indoor airborne MPs and bacteria in five room types (bedroom, dining room, living room, bathroom, and study) based on the duration of usage of each room. Although several studies have examined indoor environmental MPs, none have yet compared atmospheric MP and bacterial deposition characteristics among rooms in homes. Humans may be exposed to microplastics (MPs) through food, drink, and air.
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