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A global dataset of soil microplastics (2005-2026)
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Scientists have combined nearly 6,200 soil microplastic measurements from over 4,900 locations in 49 countries into one standardized global database, making it easier to compare pollution levels across different studies and regions. This matters because microplastics in soil can end up in the crops we eat and the water we drink, and having consistent, comparable data is a crucial first step toward understanding how widespread this contamination really is and what it might mean for our health.
This dataset provides a harmonized global compilation of published soil microplastic records from 2005 to 2026. It contains 6,197 records from 4,901 sampling sites across 49 countries. The dataset includes publication information, geographic coordinates, sampling information, soil properties, microplastic abundance, particle-size ranges, shape categories, polymer types, and methodological metadata such as pretreatment procedures and identification instruments. The dataset consists of two linked tables, an information table and a characteristics table, both indexed by a unique record ID to enable cross-referencing. The information table contains site- and sample-level metadata, including bibliographic information, harmonized land-use classification, geographic coordinates, sampling depth, soil physicochemical properties, and reported microplastic abundance. Where applicable, abundance values are standardized to items kg⁻¹, and a size-distribution-based correction factor (CF) is applied to account for differences in particle-size detection ranges across studies. The CF is derived from an empirical power-law relationship describing microplastic particle-size distributions, which is used to adjust abundance estimates to a consistent size range. The characteristics table provides detailed compositional information on microplastics, including particle size distribution, shape composition, and polymer composition. These variables are expressed as proportional contributions across standardized categories, with expanded columns representing the full distribution of each attribute. Together, the two tables integrate environmental context with particle-level characteristics, enabling harmonized analyses of soil microplastic abundance and composition across studies. This dataset (in xlsx formats) is associated to the "A global dataset of soil microplastics (2005–2026)" by Wu et al. (2026). Manuscript citation: Wu, P., Su, Y., Wang, M., Yang, X., Rillig, M.C., Wang, X., Liu, R., Ye, S., Zhou, L., Shi, Z., Chen, S. In preparation. When using the data, please cite repositories as well as the original manuscript.For any questions on the data, please contact Dr. Songchao Chen (chensongchao@zju.edu.cn).
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A global dataset of soil microplastics (2005-2026)
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Scientists compiled the largest known database of soil microplastic pollution, combining nearly 6,200 measurements from over 4,900 locations in 49 countries into one standardized resource. This matters because soil is where much of our food grows, and understanding how tiny plastic particles build up in farmland and other soils is a key step toward figuring out whether—and how much—plastic pollution might be making its way into the food we eat. The dataset itself doesn't test health effects, but it gives researchers the consistent, comparable data they need to start answering those questions.
Global Microplastic Dataset for Arid and Semi-Arid Regions
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Scientists compiled data from multiple studies to track how much microplastic pollution (tiny plastic bits) is showing up in soil across dry and semi-dry regions around the world. This matters because these areas often grow our food and provide drinking water, so understanding how much plastic is building up in the soil helps researchers figure out whether it could eventually make its way into what we eat and drink. Note that this is a dataset compiling existing research rather than a new study on health effects, so it doesn't yet tell us how these microplastic levels directly impact human health.
Comment on essd-2026-536
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers combined published data on microplastics in soil from around the world into one large dataset, covering over 6,000 records from 49 countries between 2005 and 2026. The dataset standardizes details like particle size, shape and plastic type, and shows most records come from Asia, with notable differences in results depending on measurement method and land use.
Global soil microplastic assessment in different land-use systems is largely determined by the method of analysis: A meta-analysis
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This meta-analysis pooled data from 89 studies to measure microplastic levels in soils across different land uses worldwide. A key finding is that reported microplastic concentrations vary wildly depending on the testing method used, making it hard to compare studies. This highlights that before we can truly understand how much microplastic is in the soil that grows our food, scientists need to agree on standardized measurement methods.
Global concentrations of microplastic in soils, a review
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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.
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