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Review of Soil Microplastic Degradation Pathways and Remediation Techniques
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Researchers reviewed methods for degrading and removing microplastics from soil, including pyrolysis, biodegradation, and photocatalytic breakdown, finding that in-situ photocatalysis shows particular promise for soil remediation. Soils may actually contain more microplastic than the oceans, yet cleanup strategies for soil remain far less developed than those for aquatic systems.
Microplastics have received widespread attention in recent years. However, most studies on microplastics have been limited to the aquatic environment. In this review, we categorize and describe the microplastic's degradation pathways and removal methods, including pyrolysis, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and advanced oxidation techniques, such as ultrasonic mechanical degradation. Additionally, we focus on the applicability of photocatalytic degradation as an in-situ removal technique for microplastics in soil, providing a reference for future research. Although soil is an important sink for microplastics and has a much higher abundance than the oceans, there is a lack of comprehensive summary regarding the mechanisms of environmental degradation and removal of microplastics in soil in existing research. In this review, we categorize and describe removal and degradation methods, including pyrolysis, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and advanced oxidation techniques, such as ultrasonic mechanical degradation. Additionally, we focus on the applicability of photocatalytic degradation as an in-situ removal technique for microplastics in soil, providing a reference for future research.
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Researchers reviewed current approaches to degrading and remediating microplastics in soil, examining both biological and physicochemical strategies for reducing persistent plastic particle accumulation in terrestrial environments.
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A comprehensive literature review found that soil microplastic research lags far behind aquatic studies despite annual MP discharge into farmland exceeding marine inputs, with synthetic textiles, tire wear, and urban dust as dominant sources entering soil via atmospheric deposition, sewage irrigation, and agricultural film use. The soil MP burden threatens food crop health, risks leaching into groundwater, and poses intergenerational health risks through nutrient disruption and potential plant-to-human transmission pathways.
Long-Term Fate of Micro/Nanoplastics in Soil Systems and Their Impacts
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Researchers examined the long-term fate of micro- and nanoplastics in soil, finding that these persistent particles accumulate over time and can disrupt soil ecosystems, potentially affecting plant growth, soil organisms, and the broader food chain through sustained environmental exposure.
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Researchers examined how plastic film used widely in Chinese agriculture breaks down and accumulates in soil, finding that microplastic debris may degrade soil quality and crop health over time, with potential ripple effects for food safety and agricultural sustainability.
Review of microplastics in soils: state-of-the-art occurrence, transport, and investigation methods
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This review synthesizes sampling, pretreatment, and analytical methods for detecting microplastics in soil environments, noting that research has largely focused on contamination levels rather than behavioral dynamics and ecological impacts. The authors call for standardized testing protocols and predictive behavior models as microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils increasingly threatens food safety and ecosystem health.
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