Microplastics are no longer confined to oceans and soils; they also circulate in the air we breathe every day. Released in particular from synthetic textiles during handling, wear, or degradation, these particles — often invisible to the naked eye — can remain suspended for long periods and be inhaled on a daily basis. Long overlooked, this discreet form of air pollution is now attracting growing attention due to its potential impacts on the environment and human health.
While air quality is most often assessed through the measurement of fine particulate matter, these methods are now reaching their limits. They do not allow for the identification of particle origin or nature. As a result, microplastics — and especially textile microfibers — largely escape conventional air monitoring systems. This limitation continues to hinder a clear understanding of human exposure to this emerging form of pollution, even as its presence in the air is increasingly documented.
Our Application Note highlights a practical and differentiating approach to address this challenge through active air sampling with the Coriolis Compact. Portable and easily deployable in the field, it enables air sampling directly at the emission sources and in real‑world environments where atmospheric microplastics are likely to be released. Its ability to sample large volumes of air and efficiently concentrate particles into a liquid medium makes it possible to collect microplastics suitable for downstream analyses. This technology offers a key advantage: it enables accurate characterization of microplastics and microfibers using standard analytical techniques, while ensuring a reproducible sampling method.
This approach opens up new perspectives for environmental monitoring and for a deeper understanding of emerging air quality challenges.
