Spiderwebs catch microplastic particles floating in city air

Tiny plastic particles from clothing and car tyres stick to spiders’ webs in cities, which could prove useful to researchers monitoring this form of pollution

By Joshua Rapp Learn

Tiny microplastic particles floating through city air stick to spiderwebs, giving researchers a natural way to capture and monitor this form of pollution.

Microplastics, which come from sources like polyester clothing, are being found widely in our food, soil and oceans. But researchers haven’t extensively looked into how many airborne microplastic particles might be present in urban areas. It is a potential concern as these microplastics could be getting into our lungs and may have adverse effects on our health.

Barbara Scholz-Böttcher …