Airborne microplastic pollution in healthcare waste disposal systems: A cross-sectional study in Tehran
-
Rezvan Amiri
,
Abbas Shahsavani
,
Shahriar Bezazpour
,
Anoshivan Mohseni Bandpey
,
Seyyed Nadali Alavi
,
Mehrnoush Abtahi
Abstract
Introduction: Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a significant global environmental concern, with various sources contributing to its spread. However, the release of MPs from healthcare waste disposal systems, which often involve shredding plastic waste, has not been widely studied. This research investigates the presence and concentration of MPs in the air surrounding autoclave and hydroclave devices at hospital waste disposal sites in Tehran.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2024 in eight hospitals in Tehran, encompassing both autoclave and hydroclave systems. Air samples were collected from distances of 0,5, and 10 m from the waste management units during their operation and when they were off. A total of 48 samples were analyzed for microplastic particles using light microscopy and Raman spectroscopy to determine particle characteristics such as size, shape, and color.
Results: The average concentration of MPs in the air surrounding autoclave and hydrocalve devices was 45±43 (N/m3) and higher concentrations were observed when the devices were active. No significant differences were
observed between the autoclave and hydroclave systems. Microplastic particles in the air of the disinfected areas were mainly fibrous (95%) and black (70%), and the average particle length was 34.93 μm. Smaller particles, which pose more health risks, were the most common particles.
Conclusion: Hospital waste disposal units, especially their shredder systems, are a significant source of airborne MPs. These emissions, especially through inhalation are a potential health risk. This study highlights the need for further research and mitigation strategies to reduce microplastic emissions in healthcare settings
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25. Li Z, Feng C, Pang W, Tian C, Zhao Y. Nanoplastic-induced genotoxicity and intestinal damage in freshwater benthic clams (Corbicula fluminea): comparison with microplastics. ACS nano. 2021;15(6):9469-81.
26. Liu C, Chen R, Sera F, Vicedo-Cabrera AM, Guo Y, Tong S, et al. Ambient particulate air pollution and daily mortality in 652 cities. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(8):705-15.
27. Akhbarizadeh R, Dobaradaran S, Torkmahalleh MA, Saeedi R, Aibaghi R, Ghasemi FF. Suspended fine particulate matter (PM2. 5), microplastics (MPs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air: their possible relationships and health implications. Environmental Research. 2021;192:110339.
28. Liao Z, Ji X, Ma Y, Lv B, Huang W, Zhu X, et al. Airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments of a coastal city in Eastern China. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2021;417:126007.
29. Fox S, Stefánsson H, Peternell M, Zlotskiy E, Ásbjörnsson EJ, Sturkell E, et al. Physical characteristics of microplastic particles and potential for global atmospheric transport: A meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution. 2024;342:122938.
30. Lu K, Zhan D, Fang Y, Li L, Chen G, Chen S, Wang L. Microplastics, potential threat to patients with lung diseases. Frontiers in toxicology. 2022;4:958414.
2. Ryan PG, Moore CJ, Van Franeker JA, Moloney CL. Monitoring the abundance of plastic debris in the marine environment. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 2009;364(1526):1999-2012.
3. Dahiya A, Kumar DYS, Kumar SS, Pandey AK, Devi CA. Plastic Pollution is a Serious Menace to Ecosystem Health with Special Reference to Aquatic Ecosystems and its Associated Challenges, Opportunities, and Mitigations. Aquatic Ecosystems Monitoring.279-94.
4. Gazal AA, Gheewala SH. Plastics, microplastics and other polymer materials–a threat to the environment. J Sustain Energy Environ. 2020;11:113-22.
5. Stapleton P. Microplastic and nanoplastic transfer, accumulation, and toxicity in humans. Current Opinion in Toxicology. 2021;28:62-9.
6. Enyoh CE, Verla AW, Qingyue W, Ohiagu FO, Chowdhury AH, Enyoh EC, et al. An overview of emerging pollutants in air: Method of analysis and potential public health concern from human environmental exposure. Trends in Environmental Analytical Chemistry. 2020;28:e00107.
7. Rose PK, Jain M, Kataria N, Sahoo PK, Garg VK, Yadav A. Microplastics in multimedia environment: A systematic review on its fate, transport, quantification, health risk, and remedial measures. Groundwater for Sustainable Development. 2023;20:100889.
8. He P, Chen L, Shao L, Zhang H, Lü F. Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill: A source of microplastics?-Evidence of microplastics in landfill leachate. Water research. 2019;159:38-45.
9. Ugoeze K, Amogu E, Oluigbo K, Nwachukwu N. Environmental and public health impacts of plastic wastes due to healthcare and food products packages: A Review. Journal of Environmental Science and Public Health. 2021;5(1):1-31.
10. Klemeš JJ, Van Fan Y, Tan RR, Jiang P. Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2020;127:109883.
11. Taghipour H, Alizadeh M, Dehghanzadeh R, Farshchian MR, Ganbari M, Shakerkhatibi M. Performance of on-site Medical waste disinfection equipment in hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Health promotion perspectives. 2016;6(4):202.
12. Hartmann NB, Hüffer T, Thompson RC, Hassellöv M, Verschoor A, Daugaard AE, et al. Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris. Environmental Science & Technology. 2019;53(3):1039-47.
13. Niari MH, Ghobadi H, Amani M, Aslani MR, Fazlzadeh M, Matin S, et al. Characteristics and assessment of exposure to microplastics through inhalation in indoor air of hospitals. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health. 2025;18(1):253-62.
14. Amato-Lourenço LF, de Souza Xavier Costa N, Dantas KC, dos Santos Galvão L, Moralles FN, Lombardi SCFS, et al. Airborne microplastics and SARS-CoV-2 in total suspended particles in the area surrounding the largest medical centre in Latin America. Environ Pollut. 2022;292:118299.
15. Mishra AK, Singh J, Mishra PP. Microplastics in polar regions: an early warning to the world's pristine ecosystem. Science of the Total Environment. 2021;784:147149.
16. Xiao S, Cui Y, Brahney J, Mahowald NM, Li Q. Long-distance atmospheric transport of microplastic fibres influenced by their shapes. Nature Geoscience. 2023;16(10):863-70.
17. Chang DY, Jeong S, Shin J, Park J, Park CR, Choi S, et al. First quantification and chemical characterization of atmospheric microplastics observed in Seoul, South Korea. Environmental Pollution. 2023;327:121481.
18. Wang X, Wei N, Liu K, Zhu L, Li C, Zong C, Li D. Exponential decrease of airborne microplastics: From megacity to open ocean. Science of The Total Environment. 2022;849:157702.
19. Godoy V, Calero M, González-Olalla JM, Martín-Lara MA, Olea N, Ruiz-Gutierrez A, Villar-Argaiz M. The human connection: First evidence of microplastics in remote high mountain lakes of Sierra Nevada, Spain. Environmental Pollution. 2022;311:119922.
20. Organization WH. WHO global air quality guidelines: particulate matter (PM2. 5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide: World Health Organization; 2021.
21. Xie Y, Li Y, Feng Y, Cheng W, Wang Y. Inhalable microplastics prevails in air: Exploring the size detection limit. Environment International. 2022;162:107151.
22. Jabbal S, Poli G, Lipworth B. Does size really matter?: Relationship of particle size to lung deposition and exhaled fraction. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2017;139(6):2013-4. e1.
23. Han I, Lee C, Belchez C, Shipper AG, Wiens KE. Microplastics in Urban Ambient Air: A Rapid Review of Active Sampling and Analytical Methods for Human Risk Assessment. Environments. 2024;11(11):256.
24. Yao X, Luo X-S, Fan J, Zhang T, Li H, Wei Y. Ecological and human health risks of atmospheric microplastics (MPs): a review. Environmental Science: Atmospheres. 2022;2(5):921-42.
25. Li Z, Feng C, Pang W, Tian C, Zhao Y. Nanoplastic-induced genotoxicity and intestinal damage in freshwater benthic clams (Corbicula fluminea): comparison with microplastics. ACS nano. 2021;15(6):9469-81.
26. Liu C, Chen R, Sera F, Vicedo-Cabrera AM, Guo Y, Tong S, et al. Ambient particulate air pollution and daily mortality in 652 cities. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;381(8):705-15.
27. Akhbarizadeh R, Dobaradaran S, Torkmahalleh MA, Saeedi R, Aibaghi R, Ghasemi FF. Suspended fine particulate matter (PM2. 5), microplastics (MPs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air: their possible relationships and health implications. Environmental Research. 2021;192:110339.
28. Liao Z, Ji X, Ma Y, Lv B, Huang W, Zhu X, et al. Airborne microplastics in indoor and outdoor environments of a coastal city in Eastern China. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2021;417:126007.
29. Fox S, Stefánsson H, Peternell M, Zlotskiy E, Ásbjörnsson EJ, Sturkell E, et al. Physical characteristics of microplastic particles and potential for global atmospheric transport: A meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution. 2024;342:122938.
30. Lu K, Zhan D, Fang Y, Li L, Chen G, Chen S, Wang L. Microplastics, potential threat to patients with lung diseases. Frontiers in toxicology. 2022;4:958414.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 10 No 4 (2025): Autumn 2025 | |
| Section | Original Research | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/japh.v10i4.20619 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Microplastics (MPs); Hospital waste disposal; Airborne particles; Autoclave; Hydroclave | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Amiri R, Shahsavani A, Bezazpour S, Mohseni Bandpey A, Alavi SN, Abtahi M. Airborne microplastic pollution in healthcare waste disposal systems: A cross-sectional study in Tehran. JAPH. 2025;10(4):559-568.
