Characterization and exposure assessment of indoor microplastics in hospital indoor settled dust: First insides from India

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) in indoor environments pose emerging health risks, yet healthcare facilities remain understudied. This study characterizes MPs in settled dust from public and private hospitals in Rajkot, India, assessing quantification, polymer identification, and exposure assessment for patients and staff. Dust samples were collected from high-traffic (e.g., corridors, OPDs) and controlled zones (e.g., ICUs), followed by organic digestion, density separation, optical microscopy and FTIR analysis. Results revealed mean concentrations of 65.0 ± 20.3 MP/g (Hospital 1) and 80.0 ± 38.5 MP/g (Hospital 2), with fibers dominating (52–69 %). Red and blue MPs were most prevalent, linked to synthetic textiles and medical consumables. Polymer analysis identified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE) as dominant, underscores hospitals’ reliance on single-use plastics and synthetic textiles. Size distribution highlighted 200–500 µm particles (27–37 %), though smaller MPs (<50 µm) were underrepresented. Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) for infants reached 0.82 MPs/kg/day in high-traffic zones, emphasizing vulnerability. Statistical analyses (Kruskal-Wallis, PCA) revealed spatial homogenization but institution-specific accumulation patterns. This study provides the first baseline data on MPs in Indian hospitals, future work should employ advanced techniques and assess long-term health impacts.