The finding that Typhoons act as powerful vectors of MicroplasticsThe transport of these pollutants from sea to land redefines the understanding of the risks associated with these weather phenomena and their connection to climate change.
According to a study published in Environmental Science and TechnologyThere is a direct physical relationship between the plastic pollution and global warming, This suggests that both problems could reinforce each other.
The study was presented by Taiseer Hussain Nafea, who holds a PhD in environmental engineering from the University of Nottingham.
During the work carried out in Ningbo, ChinaWhen typhoons Doksuri, Gaemi and Bebinca hit the region, researchers collected atmospheric sediment samples every 12 hours. This high-resolution monitoring allowed us to document the dynamic evolution of plastic pollution over the entire life cycle of each storm.
The results showed that during the calm periods before the typhoons arrived, the amount of microplastics deposited on land remained at the reference value. However, with the arrival of each storm, the rate of deposition increased abruptly, reaching a maximum of 12,722 particles per square meter per day during Typhoon Gaemi, a number that directly correlated with the maximum intensity of the phenomenon.
After the typhoon passed, levels quickly fell to baseline levels, indicating a temporary burst of pollution caused by the storm itself. The analysis of the collected particles made it possible to trace their origin. In calm conditions, polymers typical of urban environments predominated, such as: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the Nylon (NY).
However, in typhoons, the diversity of polymers increased significantly, identifying dense materials such as: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)He Acrylic (AC) and the Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)which are usually found in marine sediments and deep waters but are rare in Ningbo urban aerosol. This diversity disappeared as soon as the storm moved away, suggesting a temporary marine origin of the deposited microplastics.
The size of the particles was also revealing: More than 60% of the microplastics transported by storms were smaller than 280 micrometers. Previous studies have shown that the bursting of bubbles at the ocean surface, a process enhanced by typhoon winds, preferentially ejects particles of this size into the air.
In addition, modeling the trajectories during the peak periods of plastic deposition showed that the air masses were moving directly over the ocean churned by the storm and not from the continental interior.
The consistency of these results across the three typhoons studied led to a clear conclusion: Storms not only mobilize local waste, but also actively transport microplastics of oceanic origin into the atmosphere and deposit them on land.. This mechanism represents a new pathway in the global plastic cycle, where a typhoon becomes a means of transport on a global scale.
The identified process begins with the vertical movement of the surface layer of the ocean, driven by the energy of the storm, removing plastic particles from the depths. These particles reach the surface microlayer, where extreme turbulence and wave breaking as well as the bursting of bubbles expel the microplastics into the air.
The storm’s strong wind field transports these aerosols inland, and the associated precipitation acts as an air scrubber, washing plastic particles from the atmosphere to the ground. Thus, a single weather system can become the main cause of atmospheric microplastics in a large region.
Research highlights the connection between this phenomenon and climate change. Warmer oceans as a result of global warming lead to more intense typhoonsand the data obtained shows that the strongest typhoon mobilized the largest amount of plastic.
This suggests a feedback loop: climate change is increasing typhoons, which in turn become more efficient pumps for microplastics in the ocean. The increasing presence of microplastics in the ocean may alter biogeochemical cycles, including the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon, which could increase global warming.
Additionally, warmer waters accelerate the fragmentation of plastic waste into microplastics, increasing the amount of particles that can be carried by storms.
This dangerous cycle means that Stronger storms spread more plastic and further awaychanging the nature of risk for coastal cities. In addition to the damage from wind and water, storms bring with them an invisible cloud of inhalable microplastics, providing an unavoidable route of exposure for billions of people. Although research into the health effects of this exposure is still ongoing, the finding highlights the need for new strategies for environmental management and climate adaptation.
This gives the cleaning of plastics on coasts and rivers an additional dimension: It is not just an environmental measure, but a crucial step in defending public health and adapting to climate change. Reducing the amount of plastic that can be carried by storms may mitigate the magnitude of this phenomenon in the future.
The study also highlights the global dimension of the problem. Typhoons collect plastic from international waters without respecting borderswhich requires unprecedented international cooperation, similar to that required on climate change. Plastic management and climate stabilization are now portrayed as inseparable battles.
Evidence collected by researchers shows that violent, increasingly intense storms are the same forces that are spreading plastic pollution farther and faster. Recognizing this connection is the essential first step to breaking a cycle that threatens both the environment and human health. According to experts, the work is part of the Science X Dialogue.
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