The complex communities of microplastics have received extensive attention due to their environmental persistency and for being mistakenly ingested by organisms, imposing a long-term disturbance on the balance of the natural marine ecosystem. Nevertheless, these microplastics are expected to exponentially accumulate in the ocean due to increased consumption of plastic products, improper recycling management and unintentional leaching because of their negligible sizes and diversity in shapes. Despite a steep increase in microplastic research in recent years, source-sink processes of marine microplastics remain unclear, limiting our understanding about their ecological consequences and future feasible mitigation.

The role of atmospheric process in microplastic transport is complex but critical for an accurate understanding of their source-sink processes in the ocean. In the context of increasing microplastic load and associated ecological consequences, it highlights the need to evaluate the contribution of atmospheric transport to the marine microplastic budget. Therefore, elucidating the emission strength, spatiotemporal variation, driving factors, interface transfer and transport patterns of atmospheric microplastics can provide insights on the missing ‘puzzle’ of the microplastic cycle.

This Research Topic would include studies regarding sampling and analysis methods, spatiotemporal variation, interface exchange and transport patterns of atmospheric microplastics at a regional or global scale. It calls for original and novel studies that would greatly improve our understanding of microplastics in atmospheric system. Any types (original study, critical review, perspective etc.) of profound and novel papers are equally welcome, particularly for observational reports or modelling in marine atmospheric environment. This Research Topic welcomes, but is not limited to, the following themes:

• Novel and robust methods/instruments for quantitative and qualitative analysis of microplastics in the atmosphere and surface water;

• Measurement reports about atmospheric microplastic spatial-temporal variation and driving factors in coastal zone and marine atmosphere;

• Exchange processes and mechanisms of microplastics at the air-water interface;

• Weathering/degradation patterns and mechanisms of microplastics during the transport;

• Characterization of atmospheric microplastic emission strength, transport, deposition, and climate effects at a regional or global scale.

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Frontiers in Marine Science

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