It was confirmed through research for the first time in Korea that microplastics float in the air inside and outside the house.
According to the results of the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment research obtained by SBS, microplastics were detected in all 29 samples as a result of collecting and analyzing suspended substances in the air for six months last year in five homes and three outdoors.
The amount detected is an average of 3.02 in indoor air and 1.96 in outdoor air, based on 1 cubic meter, 1.5 times more detected indoors.
The particle size of fine plastics detected in indoor air was 166.1 micrometers on average, and the fine plastics from outdoor air averaged 115.5 micrometers.
As for the types of microplastics, representative plastic components, polyethylene and polypropylene, accounted for 67% of the total detection amount.
Especially indoors, more fine plastics made of synthetic fibers such as polyester were detected than outdoors.
Academia has estimated that there will be microplastics in the air, but this is the first time that it has been confirmed through empirical research in Korea.
The Institute for Health and Environment, which conducted the study, said that it only detected particles larger than 20 micrometers due to limitations in sampling and analysis equipment, but said that it is likely that there will be more microplastics in the air than the amount actually detected. .
In addition, as a result of requesting plastic detection analysis by SBS reporters receiving rainwater from Gangseo-gu and Mapo-gu, Seoul, 7.27 and 18.15 microplastics were detected per 100 milliliters, respectively.
The so-called'plastic rain' phenomenon in which fine plastics in the atmosphere fall together with the rain was confirmed in rainwater experiments.
Details will be broadcast on <8 News> on the 14th night of today and <News Story> at 8 am tomorrow.