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Biosolid amendments as drivers for microplastic pollution in soil: Measurements and insight from multiple analytical methods in an agricultural field study
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Farms sometimes spread "biosolids" (treated sewage sludge) on fields as fertilizer, and this study measured microplastic particles in soil that had received these applications over a decade compared to untreated farmland. Using detailed chemical testing, researchers confirmed that soil treated with sludge contained identifiable plastic contamination, supporting concerns that this common farming practice can be a source of microplastics building up in agricultural land. Since these plastics can end up in the crops we eat and potentially in our food and water supply, understanding where they come from is an important step toward reducing our overall exposure.
The ESR05-03 data is split into 4 parts: Part 1—Infrared spectra data: The data set contains chemical characterizations of microplastic particles measured by FTIR. Microplastics were extracted from anaerobic digestate from animal manure obtained from a green energy plant. The data is stored in a CSV file (e.g., D1-2-libsearch-after valid.csv) ESR05-03-part 1-digestate data.zip, while metadata can be found in ESR05-03-part 1-digestate data.doc Part 2—Infrared spectra data: The data set contains chemical characterizations of microplastic particles measured by FTIR. Microplastics were extracted from agricultural soils receiving sludge from 2004 to 2014. The data is stored in a CSV file (e.g., CF1S1-REP1-after validation.csv) ESR05-03-part 2-CF soil data.zip, while meta data can be found in ESR05-03-part 2-CF soil data.doc Part 3—Infrared spectra data: The data set contains chemical characterizations of microplastic particles measured by FTIR. Microplastics were extracted from soil with no history of sewage sludge application and farming practices. The data is stored in a CSV file (e.g., HF1S1-after valid.csv) ESR05-03-part 03-HF soil zip folder, while meta data can be found in ESR05-03-part 03-HF soil data.doc Part 4— Infrared spectra data: The data set contains chemical characterizations of microplastic particles measured by FTIR. Microplastics were extracted from procedural blanks. The data is stored in a CSV file (e.g., CF-blank-after valid.csv) in ESR05-03-part 04-procedural blank data.zip, while meta data can be found in ESR05-03-part 04-procedural blank data.doc
More Papers Like This
Biosolid amendments as drivers for microplastic pollution in soil: Measurements and insight from multiple analytical methods in an agricultural field study
AI summary Read the abstract
Farms often spread "biosolids" (treated sewage sludge and animal waste) on fields as fertilizer, but this study shows that practice can also introduce microplastic pollution into agricultural soil, with fields that received sludge showing different plastic contamination than untreated fields. Since crops grow in this soil and microplastics can potentially work their way into our food and water, this raises questions about how common farming practices might be a hidden source of plastic exposure in our diets.
Biosolid amendments as drivers for microplastic pollution in soil: Measurements and insight from multiple analytical methods in an agricultural field study
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists analyzed farm soil that had been treated with sewage sludge (a common fertilizer made from treated wastewater) years earlier, comparing it to untreated soil to identify tiny plastic particles left behind. This research provides detailed tools and data for detecting these microplastics, helping build the scientific groundwork needed to understand how farm fertilizing practices may contribute to plastic pollution in the food we grow.
Identification of microplastics extracted from field soils amended with municipal biosolids
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Researchers developed a method for extracting and identifying microplastics from agricultural soils that had been treated with municipal biosolids, a common fertilizer derived from wastewater treatment. They found a variety of plastic polymer types in the soil, confirming that biosolid application is a pathway for microplastic contamination of farmland. The study provides a reliable technique for tracking how microplastics cycle through agricultural environments.
Investigation and analysis of microplastics in sewage sludge and biosolids: A case study from one wastewater treatment works in the UK
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sewage sludge and biosolids at a UK wastewater treatment plant and found significant quantities of microplastics persisting through the treatment process. Since millions of tonnes of biosolids are applied to farmland annually in the UK, this represents a major pathway for microplastic pollution entering agricultural soils. The study highlights the need for better monitoring and treatment methods to reduce microplastic transfer from wastewater to the terrestrial environment.
Occurrence and environmental consequences of microplastics and nanoplastics from agricultural reuse of wastewater and biosolids in the soil ecosystem: A review
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This review examines how wastewater and sewage sludge used in agriculture introduce microplastics and nanoplastics into farm soil, where they can persist and accumulate over time. Municipal wastewater can contain thousands of plastic particles per liter, and treated sewage sludge used as fertilizer can contain over 30,000 particles per liter. These practices create a long-term buildup of plastic contamination in agricultural soil that can affect crops, groundwater, and ultimately human food and water supplies.
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