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Ecological risk assessment framework for microplastics in agricultural soils amended with biosolids
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This study proposes a framework for assessing the ecological risks of microplastics in agricultural soils that have been treated with biosolids from wastewater processing. Researchers highlight that risk depends not just on the amount of microplastics, but also on their size, shape, and type. The framework aims to give regulators and scientists a more structured way to evaluate and manage microplastic contamination in farmland.
This study conceptualizes a framework for ecological risk assessment of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils amended with biosolids. MPs in biosolids pose risks to soil biota, affecting soil health. The study highlights the complexity of assessing MP risks, considering not only MPs abundance, but also properties such as size, shape, and type. To develop this framework for ecological risk assessment of MPs in agricultural soils amended with biosolids, a literature review was conducted to systematically assess effects of different MPs properties on soil organisms. Earthworms, springtails, and the microbiome were considered as receptors. The study highlights the importance of understanding MPs fate in soil, since effects on soil biota can be time dependent. Furthermore, results show that organisms respond differently to similar MPs properties, increasing the complexity of assessing MPs risks in terrestrial ecosystems. This complexity also relates to MPs effects on soil properties, and indirect effects on soil biota. Further research is needed to address knowledge gaps for effects of specific MPs properties to better assess and manage ecological risks in agricultural systems.
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Microplastics in biosolids: A review of ecological implications and methods for identification, enumeration, and characterization
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This review examines the presence of microplastics in biosolids from wastewater treatment plants and their ecological effects when applied to agricultural soils. Researchers found conflicting evidence about the extent of negative ecosystem impacts, with some studies showing harmful effects and others reporting minimal consequences. The study highlights the lack of standardized methods for measuring microplastics in biosolids and calls for consistent analytical approaches to better assess the risks.
Identification of microplastics extracted from field soils amended with municipal biosolids
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Researchers developed a method for extracting and identifying microplastics from agricultural soils that had been treated with municipal biosolids, a common fertilizer derived from wastewater treatment. They found a variety of plastic polymer types in the soil, confirming that biosolid application is a pathway for microplastic contamination of farmland. The study provides a reliable technique for tracking how microplastics cycle through agricultural environments.
Investigation and analysis of microplastics in sewage sludge and biosolids: A case study from one wastewater treatment works in the UK
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in sewage sludge and biosolids at a UK wastewater treatment plant and found significant quantities of microplastics persisting through the treatment process. Since millions of tonnes of biosolids are applied to farmland annually in the UK, this represents a major pathway for microplastic pollution entering agricultural soils. The study highlights the need for better monitoring and treatment methods to reduce microplastic transfer from wastewater to the terrestrial environment.
From wastewater treatment plants to farmland: Microplastic quantification, transfer, and risk assessment from biosolids use in Tasmania, Australia
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Researchers quantified microplastics in wastewater and biosolids from Tasmanian treatment plants, detecting 127 to 138 particles per gram in biosolids, with polyethylene as the most abundant polymer. The study estimates that billions of microplastic particles are transferred annually to agricultural soils through biosolids reuse, and a preliminary risk assessment suggests these levels may pose ecological concerns.
Biosolid amendments as drivers for microplastic pollution in soil: Measurements and insight from multiple analytical methods in an agricultural field study
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Farms sometimes spread "biosolids" (treated sewage sludge) on fields as fertilizer, and this study measured microplastic particles in soil that had received these applications over a decade compared to untreated farmland. Using detailed chemical testing, researchers confirmed that soil treated with sludge contained identifiable plastic contamination, supporting concerns that this common farming practice can be a source of microplastics building up in agricultural land. Since these plastics can end up in the crops we eat and potentially in our food and water supply, understanding where they come from is an important step toward reducing our overall exposure.
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