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Hydroclimatic Drivers of Soil Microplastic Pollution in Landfills: Insights from an Urban City of Bangladesh
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Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination at two active landfills in Rangpur, Bangladesh, finding higher particle loads during the monsoon season than the dry season and identifying polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymers, with rainfall and temperature patterns driving vertical translocation of particles into subsurface soil layers.
Landfills are emerging sources of microplastics (MPs), yet the hydroclimatic controls that accelerate MP release and subsequent terrestrial contamination remain poorly characterized in developing urban settings in Bangladesh. This study investigates the characteristics of MPs and the hydroclimatic factors governing their leaching from two active landfills in Rangpur City, Bangladesh. Soil samples were collected from 24 sites across the Nasinabad and Rangpur–Dinajpur Highway landfills, and MP data were integrated with hydrological and meteorological observations to evaluate hydroclimatic influences. MPs were detected in both landfills, with mean abundances of 164.5 ± 30.48 pieces kg−1 and 84.0 ± 16.39 pieces kg−1 in Nasinabad and Rangpur–Dinajpur Highway sites, respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis identified polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and cellulose as the dominant polymers. Increased MP loads in Nasinabad indicate greater refuse dumping at this location. The ecological risk assessment showed low contamination, as indicated by the pollution load index (PLI) and contamination factor (CF), with the combined-polymer risk also being considered low by the Nemerow integrated pollution index (NIPI). The seasonal patterns, characterized by lower levels of MP contamination during the dry season compared to the monsoon period, and their association with rainfall and temperature, point to an implication of acceleration toward vertical translocation from the soil surface to subsurface layers. Overall, remediation pathways are proposed to reduce MP burdens in landfill soils from a developing-country perspective.
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Hydroclimatic Drivers of Soil Microplastic Pollution in Landfills: Insights from an Urban City of Bangladesh
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination at two active landfills in Rangpur, Bangladesh, finding higher particle loads during the monsoon season than the dry season and identifying polyethylene and polypropylene as dominant polymers, with rainfall and temperature patterns driving vertical translocation of particles into subsurface soil layers.
Hydroclimatic Drivers of Soil Microplastic Pollution in Landfills: Insights from an Urban City of Bangladesh
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studying two landfills in Bangladesh found tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in the soil, with more showing up during rainy monsoon season than in dry months. This suggests heavy rain helps wash these plastic bits deeper into the ground, where they could eventually reach groundwater or crops, a reminder that how we manage trash disposal matters for keeping plastics out of our water, food, and ultimately our bodies.
Microplastics contamination in the soil from Urban Landfill site, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in soil samples from an urban landfill site in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They found microplastics in all samples, predominantly fibers and fragments made of polyethylene and polypropylene, with concentrations varying across the landfill. The study provides some of the first evidence of terrestrial microplastic pollution in Bangladesh and identifies urban landfills as significant reservoirs of soil microplastic contamination.
Subsurface transport and environmental risks of microplastic pollution: influence of land use and seasonal variability
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Researchers systematically investigated how microplastics move vertically through soil across five different land use types during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Dumpsites had the highest microplastic concentrations at nearly 40,000 particles per kilogram, while woodlands had the lowest at around 500 particles per kilogram. The study found that smaller microplastics traveled deeper into soil, especially after monsoon rains, and that land use type significantly influenced both the amount and composition of microplastic contamination.
The seasonal variation and ecological risk of microplastics in the Lower Ganges River, Bangladesh
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Researchers characterized seasonal variation in microplastic abundance and polymer composition in the lower Ganges River, finding that monsoon flows dramatically increase microplastic loads and that dry season concentrations reflect local urban pollution.
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