We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics interfere with sorption–desorption, leaching, and mobility of 14C-diflubenzuron, 14C-fluazinam, and 14C-metribuzin in a tropical soil
Original title: Microplastics interfere with sorption–desorption, leaching, and mobility of 14C-diflubenzuron, 14C-fluazinam, and 14C-metribuzin in a tropical soil
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic bits in soil can change how pesticides move and stick around, according to new research on farm soil. In some cases, microplastics made certain pesticides less likely to bind to soil particles, allowing them to travel further and potentially seep into groundwater instead of breaking down safely. This matters because it suggests plastic pollution in farmland could indirectly increase pesticide contamination in the water we drink, even though this study didn't test drinking water directly.
Pesticides and microplastics (MPs) are contaminants that coexist in agricultural soils; however, little is known about pesticide dynamics in the presence of MPs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the environmental behavior of 14 C-diflubenzuron, 14 C-fluazinam, and 14 C-metribuzin under the influence of MPs in a tropical soil. The results showed that, at MPs concentrations of 1 and 4%, the sorption of 14 C-metribuzin in soil was reduced by 40.79% and 51.12%, respectively. For 14 C-diflubenzuron, 4% MPs addition led to a 20.65% reduction in sorption. For 14 C-fluazinam, no interference in environmental behavior was observed. Desorption occurred for all pesticides. In solution, averages of 11% of 14 C-metribuzin, 71% of 14 C-diflubenzuron, and 68% of 14 C-fluazinam were sorbed by MPs. In the same order, 36–93%, 2–2.8%, and 0.51–0.57% of 14 C-metribuzin, 14 C-diflubenzuron, and 14 C-fluazinam were leached. A reduction in the mobility of 14 C-metribuzin was observed, shifting from intermediate mobility to slightly mobile. Meanwhile, 14 C-diflubenzuron and 14 C-fluazinam remained immobile in soil. The results demonstrate that adding different concentrations of MPs to soil alters the environmental behavior of pesticides, depending on particle concentration, physicochemical properties, and pesticide dosage. This study provides insights into the interactions between MPs and pesticides and highlights the role of MPs as vectors of organic contaminants in soil. In addition, these findings suggest that MPs may influence pesticide retention, mobility, and leaching in tropical agricultural soils, with potential implications for groundwater contamination and environmental risk assessment.
More Papers Like This
Soil microplastics as carriers of organic pollutants: Sorption mechanisms and environmental behavior
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic bits in soil (from things like farm plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and traffic pollution) can act like magnets for pesticides and antibiotics, binding to them and changing how these chemicals move through the environment. This review of existing research shows that these plastic-pollutant combos can make harmful chemicals travel further, last longer, and become more available to soil creatures — potentially working their way up the food chain, into groundwater, and eventually onto our plates. The findings highlight why cutting down on plastic pollution in soil isn't just an environmental issue — it's a food safety and drinking water concern too.
Microplastics: Pesticide sorption and efficiency
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles in soil and water don't just sit there—they act like sponges that grab onto pesticides and antibiotics, changing how far these chemicals travel and how long they stick around in our environment. This matters because plastic pollution could be quietly making pesticide and antibiotic contamination worse or harder to predict in the food and water we rely on. The findings suggest that safety assessments for these chemicals should start factoring in microplastic pollution, since the plastics themselves may be changing the risks.
Microplastics as pesticide vectors in soil: bridging aqueous insights to terrestrial co-contamination risks and ecosystem impacts
AI summary Read the abstract
This review of existing research finds that tiny plastic particles in soil can act like sponges, grabbing onto pesticides and helping them stick around longer, especially plastics that have started breaking down outdoors. That combo may stress soil organisms more than either pollutant alone, raising concerns about impacts on crops and, potentially, the food we eat, though more research is needed to confirm long-term risks.
The vertical migration of a pesticide mixture in sandy soil is strongly driven by their sorption behavior and can be altered by Polyethylene Microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers packed sandy soil columns with a mixture of 20 pesticides and 1% polyethylene microplastics, then flushed them with contaminated water to track pesticide movement. They found that PE microplastics accelerated the downward migration of five slowly leaching pesticides, increasing the risk of groundwater contamination.
Polyethylene microplastics alter pH-dependent leaching and toxicity of imidacloprid in soil columns
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers passed imidacloprid pesticide through soil columns containing polyethylene microplastics and found that microplastics delayed leaching and reduced early-stage transport by roughly 21%, but paradoxically increased the toxicity of leachate to test organisms — suggesting microplastics alter both the fate and ecological risk of co-occurring pesticides in agricultural soils.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.