Airborne microplastic/nanoplastic research: a comprehensive Web of Science (WoS) data-driven bibliometric analysis

Revolutionizing indoor air quality monitoring through IoT innovations: a comprehensive systematic review and bibliometric analysis

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in the built environment is significantly influenced by particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and air temperature. Recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been integrated to improve IAQ and safeguard human health, comfort, and productivity. This review seeks to highlight the potential of IoT integration for monitoring IAQ. Additionally, the paper details progress by researchers in developing IoT/mobile applications for IAQ monitoring, and their transformative impact in smart building, healthcare, predictive maintenance, and real-time data analysis systems. It also outlines the persistent challenges (e.g., data privacy, security, and user acceptability), hampering effective IoT implementation for IAQ monitoring. Lastly, the global developments and research landscape on IoT for IAQ monitoring were examined through bibliometric analysis (BA) of 106 publications indexed in Web of Science from 2015 to 2022. BA revealed the most significant contributing countries are India and Portugal, while the top productive institutions and researchers are Instituto Politecnico da Guarda (10.37% of TP) and Marques Goncalo (15.09% of TP), respectively. Keyword analysis revealed four major research themes: IoT, pollution, monitoring, and health. Overall, this paper provides significant insights for identifying prospective collaborators, benchmark publications, strategic funding, and institutions for future IoT-IAQ researchers.

Transforming pollution into solutions: A bibliometric analysis and sustainable strategies for reducing indoor microplastics while converting to value-added products

Microplastics (MPs), as emerging indoor contaminants, have garnered attention due to their ubiquity and unresolved implications for human health. These tiny particles have permeated indoor air and water, leading to inevitable human exposure. Preliminary evidence suggests MP exposure could be linked to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and potentially other health issues, yet the full scope of their effects remains unclear. To map the overall landscape of this research field, a bibliometric analysis based on research articles retrieved from the Web of Science database was conducted. The study synthesizes the current state of knowledge and spotlights the innovative mitigation strategies proposed to curb indoor MP pollution. These strategies involve minimizing the MP emission from source, advancements in filtration technology, aimed at reducing the MP exposure. Furthermore, this research sheds light on cutting-edge methods for converting MP waste into value-added products. These innovative approaches not only promise to alleviate environmental burdens but also contribute to a more sustainable and circular economy by transforming waste into resources such as biofuels, construction materials, and batteries. Despite these strides, this study acknowledges the ongoing challenges, including the need for more efficient removal technologies and a deeper understanding of MPs' health impacts. Looking forward, the study underscores the necessity for further research to fill these knowledge gaps, particularly in the areas of long-term health outcomes and the development of standardized, reliable methodologies for MP detection and quantification in indoor settings. This comprehensive approach paves the way for future exploration and the development of robust solutions to the complex issue of microplastic pollution.

Forecasting municipal solid plastic waste generation and management policy using system dynamics: a case study of Khulna City in Bangladesh

A comprehensive analysis of municipal solid plastic waste (MSPW) management while emphasizing plastic pollution severity in coastal cities around the world is mandatory to alleviate the augmenting plastic waste footprint in nature. Thus, decision-makers' persuasion for numerous management solutions of MSPW flow-control can be met through meditative systematic strategies at the regional level. To forecast solutions focused on systematic policies, an agent-based system dynamics (ASD) model has been developed and simulated from 2023 to 2040 while considering significant knit parameters for MSPW management of Khulna City in Bangladesh. Baseline simulation results show that per-capita plastic waste generation will increase to 11.6 kg by 2040 from 8.92 kg in 2023. Eventually, the landfilled quantity of plastic waste has accumulated to 70,000 tons within 18 years. Moreover, the riverine discharge has increased to 834 tons in 2040 from a baseline quantity of 512 tons in 2023. So the plastic waste footprint index (PWFI) value rises to 24 by 2040. Furthermore, the absence of technological initiatives is responsible for the logarithmic rise of non-recyclable plastic waste to 1.35*1000=1350 tons. Finally, two consecutive policy scenarios with baseline factors such as controlled riverine discharge, increased collection and separation of plastic waste, expansion of recycle business, and locally achievable plastic conversion technologies have been simulated. Therefore, policy 2, with 69% conversion, 80% source separation, and 50% riverine discharge reduction of MSPW, has been found adequate from a sustainability perspective with the lowest PWFI ranges of 3.97 to 1.07 alongside a per-capita MSPW generation of 7.63 to 10 kg from 2023 till 2040.

Turning plastics/microplastics into valuable resources? Current and potential research for future applications

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials, mainly consisting of polymers. The use of plastics has increased to over 300 million metric tonnes in recent years, and by 2050, it is expected to grow to 800 million. Presently, a mere 10% of plastic waste is recycled, with approximately 75% ended up in landfills. Inappropriate disposal of plastic waste into the environment poses a threat to human lives and marine species. Therefore, this review article highlights potential routes for converting plastic/microplastic waste into valuable resources to promote a greener and more sustainable environment. The literature review revealed that plastics/microplastics (P/MP) could be recycled or upcycled into various products or materials via several innovative processes. For example, P/MP are recycled and utilized as anodes in lithium-ion (Li-ion) and sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries. The anode in Na-ion batteries comprising PP carbon powder exhibits a high reversible capacity of ∼340 mAh/g at 0.01 A/g current state. In contrast, integrating Fe3O4 and PE into a Li-ion battery yielded an excellent capacity of 1123 mAh/g at 0.5 A/g current state. Additionally, recycled Nylon displayed high physical and mechanical properties necessary for excellent application as 3D printing material. Induction heating is considered a revolutionary pyrolysis technique with improved yield, efficiency, and lower energy utilization. Overall, P/MPs are highlighted as abundant resources for the sustainable production of valuable products and materials such as batteries, nanomaterials, graphene, and membranes for future applications.

Critical review on airborne microplastics: An indoor air contaminant of emerging concern

Airborne Microplastics (MPs), an emerging environmental issue, have gained recent attention due to their newfound presence in indoor environments. Utilizing the Web of Science database for literature collection, the paper presents a comprehensive review of airborne MPs including emission sources, assessment methods, exposure risks, and mitigation strategies. This review delves into the diverse sources and mechanisms influencing indoor airborne MP pollution, underscoring the complex interplay between human activities, ventilation systems, and the characteristics of indoor environments. Major sources include the abrasion of synthetic textiles and the deterioration of flooring materials, with factors like carpeting, airflow, and ventilation significantly impacting MP levels. Human activities, such as increased movement in indoor spaces and the intensive use of plastic-based personal protective equipment (PPE) post-pandemic, notably elevate indoor MP concentrations. The potential health impacts of airborne MPs are increasingly concerning, with evidence suggesting their role in respiratory, immune, and nervous system diseases. Despite this, there is a scarcity of information on MPs in diverse indoor environments and the inhalation risks associated with the frequent use of PPE. This review also stresses the importance of developing effective strategies to reduce MP emissions, such as employing HEPA-filtered vacuums, minimizing the use of synthetic textiles, and enhancing indoor ventilation. Several future research directions were proposed, including detailed temporal analyses of indoor MP levels, interactions of MP with other atmospheric pollutants, the transport dynamics of inhalable MPs (≤10 μm), and comprehensive human exposure risk assessments.