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Microplastic abundance and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil with the wastewater treatment plants effluent; Tehran, Iran
Summary
Agricultural soils in Tehran irrigated with treated wastewater contained 29–270 MP items/kg, dominated by polystyrene and polypropylene from plastic mulches, alongside elevated lead, cadmium, and copper concentrations—with MPs themselves carrying adsorbed heavy metals detected by microplastic-AES analysis. The co-occurrence of microplastics and heavy metals in food-producing soils illustrates how plastic pollution acts as a secondary vector for toxic metal contamination, compounding risks to crop safety and human dietary exposure.
The study in Rey County, Tehran, Iran, examined microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu) in agricultural soils. Results show microplastic quantities (29–270 items kg−1), predominantly small particles (100–500 µm), black (42.70%) and white (40.5%) in color, with Polystyrene (PS) and Polypropylene (PP) as dominant polymers from plastic mulches. Soil concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Cd averaged 30.41 mg kg−1, 23.02 mg kg−1, and 4.97 mg kg−1, respectively. Microplastic-AES analysis detected Cu (5.86 mg kg−1), Cd (3.45 mg kg−1). Agricultural activities, especially plastic mulches, contribute significantly to soil contamination, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices in the region.