Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
A new study finds that people may inhale over 70,000 microplastic particles daily while indoors, a figure dramatically higher than previously estimated.
Researchers detected 528 particles per cubic meter in apartments—but up to 2,238 particles per cubic meter in car interiors, where sealed environments trap more airborne plastics.
94% of detected microplastic particles were under 10 micrometers—small enough to travel into the deepest parts of the lungs when inhaled.
The study’s results suggest earlier estimates of indoor microplastic exposure may have been off by a factor of 100, due to better measurement techniques.
The researchers used Raman spectroscopy to precisely identify and measure microplastic content in air samples from various indoor spaces.
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Humans spend around 90% of their lives indoors, meaning nearly all daily exposure to airborne microplastics comes from places we think of as safe.
While exact health effects are still being studied, early links point to risks including hormone disruption, respiratory inflammation, and even stroke or cancer.
Scientists stress the urgent need for deeper study on how inhaled microplastics affect the body—and what interventions might help reduce exposure.
These airborne particles are invisible to the naked eye, yet are becoming a constant environmental factor—present in homes, offices, transit systems, and beyond.