We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Accumulation and fate of microplastics in soils after application of biosolids on land: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewing land application of biosolids found that agricultural soils receive between 18 and 690,000 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil, with retention increasing in soils rich in organic carbon and metal oxides, and that biodegradation alters plastic composition but proceeds slowly.
The recent discovery of microplastic occurrence in most ecosystems is raising health concerns globally, yet the fate of microplastics is poorly known, particularly in the terrestrial environment. Here, we review the effect of land applications of biosolids on microplastic contamination in agricultural soils. We focus on separation and identification methods, distribution in wastewater, and retention, migration and degradation in soils. We also discuss the uptake of microplastics by microorganisms. The number of microplastic particles in biosolids ranges from 506 to 15,385 per kg of biosolids. After biosolid application on land, microplastic number ranges from 18 to 6.9 × 105 particles per kg of soil, depending on the soil composition. Microplastic retention in soils increases with soil organic carbon concentration, Fe and Al oxide concentrations, and soil ionic strength. Biodegradation of microplastics causes mass loss, changes in chemical composition, reduction in molecular weight and mechanical strength, and gas production of carbon dioxide and methane.
More Papers Like This
Review of microplastics in soils: state-of-the-art occurrence, transport, and investigation methods
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Microplastics in Soil Ecosystem: Insight on Its Fate and Impacts on Soil Quality
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Microplastics in soil: a review on research status, sources, methods, and remediation strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Microplastics in Biosolids Treatment Stream: Abundance, Fate and Methodologies
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines the occurrence, fate, and transformation of microplastics throughout wastewater treatment biosolids streams, noting that conventional treatment effectively concentrates MPs in solid biosolids, roughly 50% of which are land-applied as agricultural fertilizer. Land application of biosolid-laden MPs represents a major but often overlooked terrestrial contamination pathway, enabling plastics to accumulate in farmland soils, enter crops, and ultimately reach humans through the food supply.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.