We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Identification, characterization, and implications of microplastics in soil – A case study of Bhopal, central India
Summary
Researchers identified and characterized microplastics in soils from Bhopal, central India, documenting their occurrence, distribution, and polymer composition to assess the extent of soil contamination from poor plastic waste management practices.
Microplastic contamination in environmental matrices is posing new challenges for scientific community and general public across the globe. Wide-spectrum application of plastics in various commercial products has increased the production of plastics and various polymeric materials. Owing to poor recycling and waste management practices, it is expected that a large number of microplastics will be generated which may be transported into the soil, water, and air. Present study reports the occurrence of microplastics in soil of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh which is the first study in Central region of India. Study found that a total of 752.5±6.36 microplastic particles were present in all the 10 soil samples collected. The highest amount at any one site is reported to be 180±13.44 particles/kg. The microplastic particles varied in size, shape, and colour as well. Chemical composition analysis revealed that particles belonged to five different polymer classes viz. polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl acetate. Implications of microplastics’ presence in studied area might lead to contamination in the nearby wetland (lake), national park, and groundwater. Detailed studies are, therefore, required to explore the presence of microplastics in various other environmental matrices and their correlation with anthropogenic activities in the Central Indian region.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic diversity, risks and soil impacts: A multi-metric assessment across land-use systems
Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance, polymer diversity, and ecological risk across seven land-use types in India's Brahmaputra Valley, finding that built-up areas had the highest particle counts while forest soils paradoxically showed the greatest polymer hazard scores due to high-risk polymers, and that land-use type shapes both the quantity and composition of soil microplastic contamination.
Macro and microplastics in the soil: abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions under different land uses in an agricultural sub-basin
Researchers examined the abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions of macro- and microplastics in soils under different land uses within an agricultural sub-basin, assessing how land-use patterns influence plastic pollution distribution and potential interactions with the soil environment.
Microplastic pollution in terrestrial environment: Identification, characterization, and risk assessment in Indore, Central India
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in soil from agricultural and recreational areas in Indore, India. Recreational sites had about six times more microplastic particles than farmland, with most particles made of common plastics like PET and polypropylene. While the ecological risk was rated low for now, the long-term buildup of these particles in soil could eventually pose threats to crops and the food chain.
Identification of microplastics from urban informal solid waste landfill soil; MP associations with COD and chloride
Researchers identified microplastic concentrations of 180–1,120 particles per kilogram of soil in an urban informal landfill in India, with fragments and fibers as the dominant shapes, and found that microplastic presence altered key soil properties including conductivity and moisture content.
Plastic particles in soil: state of the knowledge on sources, occurrence and distribution, analytical methods and ecological impacts
This comprehensive review of plastic particles in soil covered sources, occurrence, analytical detection methods, and ecological impacts, identifying gaps in knowledge about terrestrial plastic fate and effects compared to the more extensively studied marine environment.