We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
From organic fertilizer to the soils: What happens to the microplastics? A critical review
Summary
This review traces how microplastics enter agricultural soil through organic fertilizers made from municipal waste, sewage sludge, and animal manure. During the composting process, the microplastics undergo physical and chemical changes that can make them better at absorbing other pollutants from the soil. The review highlights that applying organic fertilizer to farmland is a major but often overlooked pathway for microplastics to contaminate the food supply.
In recent, soil microplastic pollution arising from organic fertilizers has been of a great increasing concern. In response to this concern, this review presents a comprehensive analysis of the occurrence and evolution of microplastics in organic fertilizers, their ingress into the soil, and the subsequent impacts. Organic fertilizers are primarily derived from solid organic waste generated by anthropocentric activities including urban (daily-life, municipal wastes and sludge), agricultural (manure, straw), and industrial (like food industrial waste etc.) processes. In order to produce organic fertilizer, the organic solid wastes are generally treated by aerobic composting or anaerobic digestion. Currently, microplastics have been widely detected in the raw materials and products of organic fertilizer. During the process of converting organic solid waste materials into fertilizer, intense oxidation, hydrolysis, and microbial actions significantly alter the physical, chemical, and surface biofilm properties of the plastics. After the organic fertilizer application, the abundances of microplastics significantly increased in the soil. Additionally, the degradation of these microplastics often promotes the adsorption of organic pollutants and affects their retention time in the soil. These microplastics, covered by biofilms, also significantly alter soil ecology due to the unique properties of the biofilm. Furthermore, the biofilms also play a role in the degradation of microplastics in the soil environment. This review offers a new perspective on the soil environmental processes involving microplastics from organic fertilizer sources and highlights the challenges associated with further research on organic fertilizers and microplastics.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Organic fertilizers as a vector of microplastics: A comprehensive review of sources, dispersion, and environmental consequences
This review synthesized evidence on how organic fertilizers — including sewage sludge and composts — act as vectors for microplastic transport into agricultural soils. The authors document how MPs from degraded plastics, textiles, and personal care products enter farming systems and affect soil health, plant growth, and the broader food chain.
Microplastic contamination of organic fertilisers applied to agricultural soils
This study examined microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers applied to agricultural soils, finding plastic particles in multiple fertilizer types. Organic fertilizers derived from sewage sludge or compost can introduce microplastics into farmland, potentially contaminating crops and groundwater.
Comprehensive understanding of microplastics in compost: Ecological risks and degradation mechanisms
This review examines how microplastics enter soil through compost made from household waste, sewage sludge, and agricultural waste. Microplastics in compost can disrupt soil structure, reduce fertility, and persist in the environment long after application. Since compost is widely used in farming, this represents a significant pathway for microplastics to contaminate agricultural soil and potentially enter the food chain.
Do contaminants compromise the use of recycled nutrients in organic agriculture? A review and synthesis of current knowledge on contaminant concentrations, fate in the environment and risk assessment
This review examines whether recycled nutrients from waste streams, such as sewage sludge and compost, introduce harmful contaminants including microplastics into organic farmland. While levels of heavy metals and many pollutants have decreased in European waste streams, microplastic contamination in agricultural soil remains widespread and poorly understood. The review highlights that spreading waste-derived fertilizers on farmland is a significant pathway for microplastics to enter the food production system.
Organic fertilizer as a vehicle for the entry of microplastic into the environment
Researchers analyzed organic fertilizers produced from biowaste composting and fermentation and found microplastic particles in all samples tested. The contamination likely enters the fertilizer through improperly sorted household waste that includes plastic packaging and other synthetic materials. The study identifies organic fertilizer application as a previously overlooked pathway for introducing microplastics into agricultural soils, which could have implications for soil health and food safety.