While the full extent of the health impacts of microplastics on the body is still being determined, global studies suggest they can lead to cell damage in humans, can affect the structure of soil and be toxic to animals.
The team selected three locations in Oxfordshire for the study, with samples taken every couple of days in each area – rural Wytham Woods, suburban Summertown and Oxford city centre.
“In woodland, where you are supposed to have a fresher, cleaner atmosphere, there is higher microplastic pollution compared to the city,” Adediran, a lecturer in earth surface geochemistry, said.
“This is why the problem of environmental pollution is very challenging – it is what you cannot see with your naked eye, what is atmospheric, what is airborne.”
In Wytham Woods, most of the particles found were polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used in clothing and food containers.
In Summertown, polyethylene, used to make plastic bags, was most commonly found.
Most particles in the city centre were ethylene vinyl alcohol, a polymer used in food packaging, automotive fuel system components and industrial films.