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[Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Microplastic Contamination in Soil and Influencing Factors: A Global Analysis].
Summary
Microplastic pollution in soil has spiked since 2015 as global plastic production soared, and surprisingly, forests and unused land often have more contamination than farmland or cities—showing plastic waste travels far beyond where it's dumped. Since soil microplastics can work their way into crops, groundwater, and eventually our food supply, this matters for everyone, not just people living near factories or farms; the researchers pinpoint farming and industrial activity as the biggest culprits, pointing to where cleanup efforts should focus first.
). Temporal trends indicated a significant increase in soil microplastic contamination since 2015, coinciding with the rapid global growth in plastic production, which surpassed 350 million tons annually. Land use assessments showed that forest and unused lands contained significantly higher concentrations of microplastics compared to agricultural and urban soils. This suggests complex pollution pathways that extend beyond direct human activities. Correlation analysis and XGBoost modeling identified agricultural and industrial activities as the primary drivers of soil microplastic accumulation, surpassing factors such as population density or general economic indicators in explanatory power. The study further underscores the critical importance of standardized detection methods, as analytical techniques significantly influence the reported levels of contamination. These findings offer essential insights for the development of targeted mitigation strategies and policy frameworks to address the escalating issue of soil microplastic pollution, highlighting the need for an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses economic development and environmental protection goals.