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Humans may be inhaling 100 times more microplastics than previously assumed, scientists warn

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS (HOMES AND CARS), JUL 30 – People inhale up to 68,000 lung-penetrating microplastic particles daily indoors, about 100 times more than earlier estimates, with higher levels found in cars than homes, researchers said.

  • Researchers from the Université de Toulouse published a study on July 31, 2025, measuring microplastics in indoor air in homes and cars.
  • They conducted this study after noting that people spend roughly 90% of their time indoors and are exposed unknowingly to microplastic pollution by inhalation.
  • The study revealed that the median levels of microplastics in indoor air were 528 particles per cubic meter in residences and significantly higher at 2,238 particles per cubic meter inside vehicles, with the vast majority—over 90%—being smaller than 10 micrometers, allowing them to reach deep lung tissue.
  • Lead author Yakovenko emphasized that their measurements revealed microplastic concentrations reaching levels about 100 times greater than earlier estimates suggested, raising significant concerns about daily inhalation of up to 68,000 fine particles.
  • These results highlight indoor air as an important pathway for microplastic inhalation, underscoring the need for further investigation into associated health impacts and the development of regulatory guidelines.
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Lean Left

Interiors and cars are particularly burdened: according to a study, people breathe in up to 68,000 microplastic particles a day. That would be a hundred times more than previously assumed.

·Germany
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Lean Right

People breathe in more microplastics than previously thought, as a study shows. The air is particularly heavily contaminated in interiors and cars. According to researchers, the particles could penetrate deep into the lungs.

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Center

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN Thousands of microplastics so small they can penetrate deep into the lungs are present in the air you breathe in your home and car, according to a new study. The particles are likely the result of the degradation of plastic-filled objects, such as carpets, curtains, furniture, and textiles, as well as plastic parts in car interiors, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

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Center

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN Thousands of microplastics so small they can penetrate deep into the lungs are present in the air you breathe in your home and car, according to a new study. The particles are likely the result of the degradation of plastic-filled objects, such as carpets, curtains, furniture, and textiles, as well as plastic parts in car interiors, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

·Idaho Falls, United States
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Forbes broke the news in United States on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
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