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Organic amendments as vectors of micro and macro plastic pollution of terrestrial ecosystems
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Researchers analyzed seven types of organic amendments commonly applied to farmland, including sewage sludge, manure, composts, and digestates, for microplastic contamination. They found microplastics in all samples, with sewage sludge containing the highest levels and a wide variety of polymer types. The study demonstrates that organic soil amendments are an important and underappreciated pathway through which both micro and macro plastics enter agricultural soils.
Microplastics (MPs) are a growing concern as they are increasingly detected in various environmental compartments. An important pathway for MPs to enter terrestrial ecosystems is the application of organic amendments for soil improvement. This study aims to investigate the size, morphology, and composition of MPs in different types of treated organic waste commonly used in agricultural soils and soil restoration. A total of seven organic amendments, including sewage sludge, horse manure, two composts and two digestates from agri-food industries and selectively collected municipal organic waste, respectively, and a biostabilized product from non-selectively collected municipal organic waste, were analyzed. The samples underwent pretreatment steps including advanced Fenton oxidation, alkaline and enzymatic digestion, and density separation, followed by spectroscopic confirmation. The results revealed high plastic concentrations ranging from 6774 to 551,696 items/kg of dry weight, depending on its origin and treatment. Sewage sludge samples exhibited the highest MPs concentrations, while horse manure showed the lowest. The most prevalent MPs morphologies were fragments, followed by fibers and films. Among the particles, the most prevalent polymers observed were PE, PP, PET, PVC, and PS, whereas PES constituted the primary composition of the fibers. The present study underscores the substantial presence of MPs in organic waste amendments and when they are applied to soil can be ingested by terrestrial organisms, entering the food chain and posing risks to human health.
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Microplastic pollution of organic waste products used for soil amendment
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Researchers measured microplastic contamination in various organic waste products intended for use as soil amendments, including composts, green waste, manure, and sewage sludge. All materials tested contained microplastics, with types and concentrations varying by source. The findings highlight a significant pathway for microplastic contamination of agricultural soils through the use of organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.
Microplastic pollution of organic waste products used for soil amendment
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Organic materials used as soil amendments — including compost, green waste, manure, and sewage sludge — were analyzed and found to contain microplastics, identifying organic fertilizers as a primary source of agricultural soil contamination. The study quantified microplastic concentrations in different amendment types to improve understanding of the scale of this contamination pathway. The findings support calls for better quality controls on organic waste products used in agriculture to limit microplastic spread through the food production system.
Microplastic contamination of organic fertilisers applied to agricultural soils
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This study examined microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers applied to agricultural soils, finding plastic particles in multiple fertilizer types. Organic fertilizers derived from sewage sludge or compost can introduce microplastics into farmland, potentially contaminating crops and groundwater.
Organic fertilizers as a vector of microplastics: A comprehensive review of sources, dispersion, and environmental consequences
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This review synthesized evidence on how organic fertilizers — including sewage sludge and composts — act as vectors for microplastic transport into agricultural soils. The authors document how MPs from degraded plastics, textiles, and personal care products enter farming systems and affect soil health, plant growth, and the broader food chain.
Distribution characteristics of microplastics in typical organic solid wastes and their biologically treated products
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Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from food waste, livestock manure, sludge, and their composted or digested products, finding MPs in all organic waste types with concentrations varying by matrix. The study highlights organic waste management pathways as an understudied route for microplastic transfer to agricultural soils.
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