When rain hits the ocean, it basically launches microplastics back into the air wrapped in a protective "liquid shield."
arXiv · March 18, 2026 · 2603.15896
The Takeaway
Scientists discovered that when rain hits a layer of floating microplastics, it can create 'liquid marbles'—tiny droplets armored with plastic particles. This mechanism explains how microplastics from the sea end up in the air we breathe and the clouds above.
From the abstract
Raindrop impact on the ocean has been proposed as a mechanism for microplastic transfer from seawater to the atmosphere, yet the interfacial dynamics governing particle ejection from floating microplastics remain largely unexplored. We investigate droplet impact onto microparticle monolayers (rafts) spanning a wide range of sizes, contrasting densities, and wettabilities, under raindrop-relevant impact conditions. Particle rafts strongly influence splash dynamics, cavity collapse, and Worthingto