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Environmental Impact of Aging on Transport of MP in Soil Ecosystem: Pathway to Achieving the Sustainability Goals
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This laboratory study examined how "aged" microplastics, which have undergone chemical changes, move through different soil types compared to fresh microplastics. Results showed aged microplastics were more likely to stay trapped in soil, especially sandy soil and under fast water flow, due to changes in their surface properties.
Microplastics pose as persistent pollutants in soil ecosystems, creating serious problems for environmental sustainability. Owing to their small size and chemical stability, they are translocated through soil profiles with the potential of reaching groundwater and interfering with soil functions. The current study establishes the transport behavior of pristine and aged microplastics in soil ecosystems to determine their retention, bioavailability and environmental impacts. Aged microplastics undergo various physiochemical changes which impacts its overall function and behavior in the soil. Microplastics show different behaviors in the transport studies as can be proved by the results from the hydraulic conductivity pore water velocity and darcy’s flux. The results show that hydrophilicity and electrostatic repulsion make aged MPs more retained, especially in sandy soil and at high flow rates.
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