Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Long-Term Biosolid-Applied Rehabilitation Land: An Overlooked Pathway for Microplastic Entry into Terrestrial Ecosystems in Australia

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in long-term biosolid-applied rehabilitation land: An overlooked pathway for microplastic entry into terrestrial ecosystems in Australia

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Researchers investigated microplastic abundance and composition in Australian mine rehabilitation land with long-term biosolid application histories, finding that biosolid-applied fields contained 7-86 times more microplastics than unamended control fields. Microplastic abundance increased with successive biosolid applications, identifying long-term biosolid land application as an overlooked pathway for microplastic entry into terrestrial ecosystems.

Accumulation and fate of microplastics in soils after application of biosolids on land: A review

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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.

Microplastics in Terrestrial Ecosystems

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This review assessed microplastic accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems — including agricultural soils, forests, and urban environments — documenting effects on soil structure, earthworm health, plant growth, and microbial diversity driven by decades of dramatic plastic production growth. Because terrestrial environments receive far more microplastic deposition than oceans yet are less studied, the soil contamination documented here directly threatens food production and represents a major underappreciated source of human dietary microplastic exposure through crops and soil-grown produce.

Microplastic accumulation, persistence, and vertical movement in an agricultural soil amended with alkaline-treated biosolids

Microplastics in the Terrestrial Environment

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This book synthesizes current research and knowledge gaps regarding microplastic impacts across terrestrial ecosystems, including soils, plants, and land-dwelling organisms. Compiling terrestrial microplastic research is essential as land environments receive far more microplastic input than oceans yet remain comparatively understudied, particularly regarding food crop contamination and soil ecosystem disruption.