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Chemical leaching from polyethylene mulching films to soil in strawberry farming
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Researchers analyzed whether polyethylene mulching films used in strawberry farming leach plasticizers into agricultural soil. The study found significantly higher concentrations of common plasticizers, including dibutyl phthalate, benzylbutyl phthalate, and acetyl tributyl citrate, in soils exposed to polyethylene mulches compared to control soils. These findings highlight a potential pathway for endocrine-disrupting chemicals to enter the environment and food chain through standard agricultural mulching practices.
Mulching is a widely practiced agricultural technique able to boost crop productivity and to reduce weed growth and water evaporation. One of the most common materials used for mulching is polyethylene. Polyethylene films are known to contain phthalates, plasticizers recognized as endocrine disruptors, thus able to endanger the hormonal system. Only few data exist on the possible transfer of plasticizers from polyethylene mulching films to agricultural soil, especially in Europe, or on the potential implications for the environment and human health. In this study, we analyzed the occurrence of plasticizers such as phthalates and acetyl tributyl citrate from polyethylene mulching films and soil samples collected from strawberry fields where polyethylene films have been used. The samples were analyzed with a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer and the results indicated that the soil exposed to polyethylene mulches contained a significantly higher concentration, compared to the control soil, of some of the most common plasticizers, including dibuthyl phthalate, benzylbutyl phthalate and acetyl tributyl citrate. These outcomes highlight the need to carry out further research to understand the potential risks that mulching practices can cause for the environment and human health.
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Researchers studied how phthalate plasticizers leach from agricultural mulch films and break down under different soil conditions and UV exposure. They found that sunlight accelerates the release of these chemicals from plastic, while soil microbes play a major role in their subsequent degradation. The study highlights how plastic mulch in farming can be a continuous source of potentially harmful chemical additives entering the soil environment.
[Occurrence and Characteristics of Macro/Micro-plastics and Phthalates in Soils Under Different Plastic Film Mulching].
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Researchers assessed residual characteristics of macroplastics, microplastics, and phthalate plasticizers in agricultural soils under different plastic film mulching treatments over a three-year field experiment, comparing traditional PE film with three types of biodegradable mulch and a no-mulch control. The study examined whether biodegradable film substitution effectively reduces soil plastic and PAE residual pollution.
Environmental fate of microplastics and common polymer additives in non-biodegradable plastic mulch applied agricultural soils
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This review examines how plastic mulch films used in farming gradually break down and release both microplastics and chemical additives like phthalates and bisphenol A into agricultural soil. These chemicals have been found at concerning levels in farmland and can be taken up by crops, harm soil organisms like earthworms, and disrupt soil microbial communities, ultimately creating pathways for these toxins to enter our food.
Accumulation and Transport of Phthalic Acid Esters in the Soil-Plant System of Agricultural Fields with Different Years of Film Mulching
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Agricultural plastic mulch films release phthalate plasticizers (PAEs) into surrounding soil over time, and these chemicals accumulate in crops like maize and cabbage. After more than 10 years of continuous mulching, DEHP levels in cabbage leaves exceeded China's national food safety limits, highlighting a direct pathway for plastic-associated chemical contaminants to enter the human food supply.
Accumulation of soil microplastics and phthalate esters in nine typical Chinese croplands using plastic mulch film
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Researchers conducted a harmonized analysis of microplastics and phthalate esters in agricultural soils from nine mulched crop regions across six Chinese provinces, finding microplastic abundances ranging from 2.4 million to higher concentrations in the 0–30 cm soil layer, with phthalate co-contamination.
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