Microplastics in the Atmospheric Deposited Dust Collected from Different Traffic Intersections in Dhaka City

Md Tarequl Islam, Shatabdi Roy, Samiha Nahian, Shahid Uz Zaman, Abdus Salam

Published	2 September 2024
Journal	Dhaka University Journal of Science
Volume	72
Issue	2
Pages	7-14
Publisher	Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
DOI	10.3329/dujs.v72i2.75463

Open access (diamond)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organic pollutants Source apportionment and emission sources

Abstract

Plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, known as microplastics, can infiltrate the environment from a variety of sources. This study aimed to assess the presence of microplastics (MPs) in the atmosphere at fifteen major traffic intersections in the greater Dhaka city from July to August 2022.The deposition rate (DP) of MPs was calculated and the observed DPs value ranged from 1.11×106 MPs/m2/day to 5.78×106 MPs/m2/day with a portion of microplastics exhibiting fluorescence activity. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the functional groups present in microplastics. The identified polymer compositions of MPs were polyethylene (PE), Nylon-6 and natural polymers (cellulose and rubber). The current study highlights the data and knowledge gaps on the atmospheric transport of microplastics and their impact to the deterioration of overall urban air quality. Dhaka Univ. J. Sci. 72(2): 07-14, 2024 (July)

Abstract © the authors and Bangladesh Academy of Sciences.

Cite this

Related work from the laboratory

1. 26 March 2026

   Assessment of heavy metals and levoglucosan emissions from municipal solid waste burning in Dhaka and its impact on human health
   

   Nafis Ibtida Sami, Safiqul Islam, Zubayer Islam, Shahid Uz Zaman, Shatabdi Roy, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Abdus Salam

   Environment, Development and Sustainability

   Source apportionment and emission sources Trace and heavy metals in airborne particulate matter Urban and indoor air quality in Dhaka

   
   10.1007/s10668-026-07538-4

2. 2026

   Traffic-induced air pollution at traffic intersections in Dhaka: seasonal patterns and associated health implications
   

   Md. Khorshed Alam Howlader, Shahid Uz Zaman, Md. Al-Amin Hossen, Md. Adnan Kiber, Abdus Salam

   Environmental Science: Atmospheres, 6(7), 1074-1089

   Source apportionment and emission sources Urban and indoor air quality in Dhaka

   
   10.1039/d6ea00036c
   Open access (diamond)

3. 9 December 2025

   Emission profiling and UV induced variations in anthrone reactive carbohydrate content from traditional biomass sources in rural Bangladesh
   

   Asma Shafiq Shathi, Md. Golam Mostafa, Md. Nazmul Islam Nahin, Hayatullah, Md. Nakib Hossen, Farah Jeba, Abdus Salam

   Discover Environment, 3(1)

   Source apportionment and emission sources

   
   10.1007/s44274-025-00453-x
   Open access (gold)

4. August 2025

   Comprehensive analysis of heavy metals in indoor PM2.5: Source identification and health risk assessment in Dhaka, Bangladesh
   

   Snigdha Aziz, Shahid Uz Zaman, Shatabdi Roy, Farah Jeba, Md Safiqul Islam, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Abdus Salam

   Atmospheric Environment: X, 27, 100346

   Source apportionment and emission sources Trace and heavy metals in airborne particulate matter Urban and indoor air quality in Dhaka

   
   10.1016/j.aeaoa.2025.100346
   Open access (gold)

5. 31 July 2025

   Black carbon emissions generally underestimated in the global south as revealed by globally distributed measurements
   

   Yuxuan Ren, Christopher R. Oxford, Dandan Zhang, Xuan Liu, Haihui Zhu, Ann M. Dillner, Warren H. White, Rajan K. Chakrabarty, Sina Hasheminassab, David J. Diner, Emmie J. Le Roy, Joshin Kumar, Valerie Viteri, Keyao Song, Clement Akoshile, Omar Amador-Muñoz, Araya Asfaw, Rachel Ying-Wen Chang, Diana Francis, Paterne Gahungu, Rebecca M. Garland, Michel Grutter, Jhoon Kim, Kristy Langerman, Pei-Chen Lee, Puji Lestari, Olga L. Mayol-Bracero, Mogesh Naidoo, Narendra Nelli, Norm O’Neill, Sang Seo Park, Abdus Salam, Bighnaraj Sarangi, Yoav Schechner, Robyn Schofield, Sachchida N. Tripathi, Eli Windwer, Ming-Tsang Wu, Qiang Zhang, Yinon Rudich, Michael Brauer, Randall V. Martin

   Nature Communications, 16(1)

   Carbonaceous aerosols: black carbon and brown carbon Source apportionment and emission sources

   
   10.1038/s41467-025-62468-5
   Open access (gold)

Names in bold are laboratory members. The DOI links to the published paper.