Indoor Airborne Microplastics: Tracing Indoor Sources of Microplastic Pollution in Living and Working Space.

Authors

• Julie Peller, Valparaiso University
• Christopher L. Fleschut, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Sasha Trajkovski, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Samantha Schmidt, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Haley Tomlisnon, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Madi Rogers, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Marlene Merino-Rodriguez, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Ranger Scott, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Dominic Gonzalez, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Vincent Grisolano, Valparaiso UniversityFollow
• Jacob Cruz, Valparaiso UniversityFollow

Level of Education of Students Involved

Undergraduate

Faculty Sponsor

Julie Peller

College

College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)

Discipline(s)

Chemistry, Environmental Science

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Spring 4-30-2026

Abstract

Microplastics are small plastic particles (less than 5 mm in diameter) that are increasingly being found in indoor environments where they may contribute to human pollution exposure through dust particles. Investigating the presence of airborne microplastics (MPs) in indoor environments is important for categorizing and identifying the synthetic fibers we are exposed to on a regular basis.This study aimed to investigate the presence and potential sources of microplastics in different indoor environments: dormitory rooms, Gellersen Engineering and Mathematics Center, low-traffic areas, window sills and fans in a home and chemistry lab. The study also evaluated differences in microplastic accumulation as they relate to possible sources, human activity levels and air ventilation. Samples were collected using cotton swabs and placed into glass vials. Samples containing significant amounts of dust were cleaned using a 50% diluted solution of 30% hydrogen peroxide which was stirred under UV light. Analyses were conducted using infrared spectroscopy (IR), microscopy,  Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Fluorescence. Spectroscopic data were used to identify the types of material and most were determined to be plastic-based. A wide variety of colored fibers were identified, suggesting multiple possible sources, such as clothing or carpeting. These findings suggest that indoor environments, particularly dormitory settings, may serve as significant sources of microplastic exposure due to everyday materials and personal items. It is crucial that more studies like these are conducted on the airborne microplastics present in indoor environments to ultimately better understand how these materials are affecting our health.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

CHEM 190, Intro to Chemical Research, A student performed research project on Microplastics found in indoor environments.

Recommended Citation

Peller, Julie; Fleschut, Christopher L.; Trajkovski, Sasha; Schmidt, Samantha; Tomlisnon, Haley; Rogers, Madi; Merino-Rodriguez, Marlene; Scott, Ranger; Gonzalez, Dominic; Grisolano, Vincent; and Cruz, Jacob, "Indoor Airborne Microplastics: Tracing Indoor Sources of Microplastic Pollution in Living and Working Space." (2026). Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE). 1514.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1514