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MPGRIDS, global geospatial estimates of microplastic inputs to agricultural soil via organic amendments
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Scientists created the first global map estimating how much microplastic pollution enters farmland through fertilizers made from organic waste—finding that potentially hundreds of thousands to millions of tonnes of plastic bits are added to soils worldwide every year. This matters because these microplastics can build up in the soil where our fruits, vegetables, and other crops grow, raising concerns about long-term contamination of the food we eat and the health of farmland itself. While the exact amounts are still uncertain, this research gives us a starting point for tracking and addressing plastic pollution in our food supply.
Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as important contaminants of agricultural soils. Yet a lack of global estimates of MP inputs to agricultural land hampers systematic quantification of both current contamination levels and accumulation over time at scales. Here, we introduce MPGRIDSv1, the first global geospatial dataset of MP inputs into agricultural soils via the application of MP-contaminated organic matter (OM) used as fertilizer. We collected, through a literature survey, the OM amendment rates, A , and the MP concentration, C , in OM for 17 and 26 countries, respectively. Upon assumptions and simplifications for OM composition, and type and appearance of MPs, we estimated high and low values of A and C for 186 countries using statistical inference methods built on 14 independent national-level covariates including waste management, agricultural practices, and environmental and socio-economic factors. High and low estimates of A and C , and the annual mass of MP inputs estimated for countries worldwide were then spatialized on selected fruit, vegetable and pulse crops in the CROPGRIDSv1 dataset. Globally, 33–2316 (910 median) thousand tonnes of MP were estimated to reach agricultural soils annually, with input rates ranging from less than 0.01 to more than 100 kg-MP ha −1 yr −1 worldwide. While these numbers underestimate reality and acknowledging several limitations including paucity of data and uncertainty in existing ones, we expect MPGRIDSv1 to facilitate analyses of agricultural soil degradation globally with geospatial detail.
More Papers Like This
MPGRIDS v1.01
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists have created detailed global maps showing where microplastics are entering farm soil through organic fertilizers (like compost and manure) across 186 countries. This matters because microplastics in soil can end up in the crops we eat, and these maps help researchers and food safety officials pinpoint which farming regions may have higher contamination risks—an important first step toward understanding how plastic pollution might be entering our food supply.
MPGRIDS v1.01
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists have created detailed global maps showing where microplastics are entering farm soil through organic fertilizers (like compost and manure) across 186 countries. This matters because microplastics in soil can end up in the crops we eat, and these maps can help researchers and policymakers pinpoint which farming regions may need better fertilizer practices to reduce contamination. Note that this paper itself is a data resource, not a health study—it maps where microplastic contamination is likely, but doesn't directly measure health effects.
Global concentrations of microplastic in soils, a review
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles called microplastics are showing up in soils around the world, and this study rounds up existing research to see how much is out there, especially in farmland. This matters because soil is where our food grows, so understanding microplastic buildup there is an important step toward figuring out if it could end up in our meals and affect our health. Note that this paper mainly organizes what scientists already know rather than presenting brand-new findings.
Estimation of microplastics entering agricultural soil through the use of biofertilizers
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that organic fertilizers made from food waste contain tiny plastic particles called microplastics, which end up in farm soil when the fertilizers are applied. These microscopic plastic bits can potentially enter our food chain through crops grown in that soil. This research helps us understand another way that plastic pollution might affect the food we eat, though more studies are needed to determine the actual health risks.
Continents of plastics: An estimate of the stock of microplastics in agricultural soils
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Researchers estimated for the first time the total amount of microplastics in the world's agricultural soils, finding between 1.5 and 6.6 million tonnes globally. This is one to two orders of magnitude higher than the estimated amount floating on the ocean surface. The study highlights that farmland, especially in regions using plastic mulch and sewage sludge as fertilizer, may be a larger reservoir of microplastic pollution than the oceans.
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