Airborne microplastics and SARS-CoV-2 in total suspended particles in the area surrounding the largest medical centre in Latin America

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2022-01, Vol.292, p.118299-118299, Article 118299
• Main Authors: Amato-Lourenço, Luís Fernando, de Souza Xavier Costa, Natália, Dantas, Kátia Cristina, dos Santos Galvão, Luciana, Moralles, Fernando Negri, Lombardi, Suzette Cleuza Ferreira Spina, Júnior, Alfredo Mendroni, Lindoso, José Angelo Lauletta, Ando, Rômulo Augusto, Lima, Felipe Gallego, Carvalho-Oliveira, Regiani, Mauad, Thais
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosols; Airborne microplastic; Public health; SARS-CoV-2 RNA
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118299

Microplastics (MPs) have been reported in the outdoor/indoor air of urban centres, raising health concerns due to the potential for human exposure. Since aerosols are considered one of the routes of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission and may bind to the surface of airborne MPs, we hypothesize that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be associated with the levels of MPs in the air. Our goal was to quantify the SARS-CoV-2 RNA and MPs present in the total suspended particles (TSP) collected in the area surrounding the largest medical centre in Latin America and to elucidate a possible association among weather variables, MPs, and SARS-CoV-2 in the air. TSP were sampled from three outdoor locations in the areas surrounding a medical centre. MPs were quantified and measured under a fluorescence microscope, and their polymeric composition was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy coupled with attenuated total reflectance (ATR). The viral load of SARS-CoV-2 was quantified by an in-house real-time PCR assay. A generalized linear model (GzLM) was employed to evaluate the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 quantification on MPs and weather variables. TSP samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in 22 out of 38 samples at the three sites. Polyester was the most frequent polymer (80%) found in the samples. The total amount of MPs was positively associated with the quantification of SARS-CoV-2 envelope genes and negatively associated with weather variables (temperature and relative humidity). Our findings show that SARS-CoV-2 aerosols may bind to TSP, such as MPs, and facilitate virus entry into the human body. •The SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 22 out of 38 air samples.•MPs were positively associated with the quantification of SARS-CoV-2 envelope genes.•SARS-CoV-2 envelope genes were negatively associated with temperature.•SARS-CoV-2 envelope genes were negatively associated with relative humidity.•Polyester was the most frequent polymer (80%) found in the samples.