Quantification of microplastics in biowastes including biosolids, compost, and vermicompost destined for land application

The land application of biowastes, including biosolids and compost, is a significant source of microplastics (MP) to terrestrial environments, yet global data on contamination levels are limited. We determined the concentrations of microplastics in biowastes destined for land application in Aotearoa New Zealand. Microplastics were extracted from biosolids, vermicompost, bulk compost, and bagged compost via wet peroxide oxidation digestion and density separations using a modified sediment-microplastics isolation (SMI) unit. The polymer type of each suspected microplastic was confirmed by micro-Fourier-transform infrared (µ-FTIR) spectroscopy, with a minimum detection size of 18 µm. Microplastic concentrations > 0.48 MP/g were identified in every sample, with the highest average abundances in biosolids (2.71 MP/g) and vermicompost (2.69 MP/g), followed by bulk compost (1.94 MP/g) and bagged compost (1.1 MP/g). Fragments (62.7%) were the most frequently detected microplastic morphotype, followed by films (24.7%), fibers (12.2%), and beads (0.4%). Common polymers detected were polypropylene (37.9%), polyethylene (28.6%), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) (11.7%). Identifiable morphotypes included polyurethane foam sponge fragments, polyethylene terephthalate glitter, and PMMA multicolored films. Biodegradable polymers were identified, and their presence in mature compost suggests that compost facilities were unable to provide optimal conditions to support the complete biodegradation of polymers. Annual microplastic contamination in soils from the application of biowaste amendments is projected to be between 1.10 × 107 to 2.71 × 107 MP/ha. The product origin of most microplastics could not be identified, highlighting the ubiquity of microplastics and the urgent need to reduce plastic at the source to reduce instances of pollution in valuable biowastes.