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Assessment of microplastic and heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils of Ernakulam District, Kerala, India
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Researchers measured microplastic and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils across five farmlands in Kerala, India, finding higher pollution levels near commercial and urban areas. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the most common plastic types, and several heavy metals exceeded safe levels. The combined presence of microplastics and heavy metals in farmland soil is concerning because both contaminants can be taken up by crops, potentially affecting the safety of food grown in these areas.
Microplastics (MPs) and heavy metal pollution pose significant environmental threat, potentially leading to agroecosystem toxicity and jeopardizing food security. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the abundance and risk assessment of these pollutants in five different farmlands of Ernakulam district, India. Results showed that MPs content in agricultural fields near commercialized areas such as Kakkanad Nedungapuzha, Nedumbassery, and Kadamakuddy was dominant compared to Nechoor, a rural area. The average microplastic abundance was found to be 45.6 ± 26.4 items kg⁻ dw. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) were the dominant polymers found in the soil samples, constituting 45% and 25% of the microplastic content, respectively. The pollution load index of MPs indicates that the sampling sites are considered to be polluted as PLI > 1 with hazard level I. The heavy metal pollution status follows the order: Cu (80.3 to 724 mg/kg) > Zn (77 to 543.5 mg/kg) > Cr (171.65 to 334.65 mg/kg) > As (10.25 to 79.5 mg/kg) > Pb (2.05 to 30.3 mg/kg) > Cd (0.3 to 14.35 mg/kg). Calculated pollution load index (PLI) geo-accumulation index (Igeo), ecological risk assessment values indicate that commercialized regions exhibit high levels of trace metals, namely Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Cr, posing a significant concern for the agricultural ecosystem. Our results indicate heightened microplastics and heavy metals prevalence in farmlands adjacent to commercial zones, necessitating immediate preventive action to mitigate increasing concentrations.
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