We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Distribution characteristics of microplastics in typical organic solid wastes and their biologically treated products
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from food waste, livestock manure, sludge, and their composted or digested products, finding MPs in all organic waste types with concentrations varying by matrix. The study highlights organic waste management pathways as an understudied route for microplastic transfer to agricultural soils.
Enormous production, use, and disposal of plastic goods present great challenges to environmental sustainability. Microplastics (MPs) are added into land which may serve as a larger MP repository than the ocean. Organic solid wastes and their biologically treated products can easily enter the soil and accumulate in soil systems. The current work deals with the extraction, identification, and distribution of MPs in typical organic solid wastes (food waste, livestock manure, and sludge) and their biologically treated products. The ecological risks of MPs were also preliminarily evaluated. The results showed that the abundance of MPs in organic solid wastes was in order of sludge > food waste > livestock manure. The main categories of MPs were fibers and films including PE, PP, and PET. The colors of MPs were mainly black, red, blue, and green. MPs generally exhibited bulges, depressions, cracks, or holes after biological treatment, and would be degraded into smaller fragments with potentially greater ecological risks. It was also found that the polymer risk index (H) of MPs in semi-dynamic composting products, compound fertilizer, and biogas residue of sedimentation tank sludge were higher than 10, reflecting their high ecological risk. Thus, it is recommended that the input of (micro)plastics to organic solid wastes streams should be minimized and related management should be established for the utilization of organic solid wastes and their biologically treated products.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics as an underestimated emerging contaminant in solid organic waste and their biological products: Occurrence, fate and ecological risks
AI summary Read the abstract
This review identified solid organic waste streams including compost, sewage sludge, and food waste as important but underappreciated repositories of microplastics that can reintroduce particles into agricultural soils and water systems. The authors call for standardized monitoring of microplastics in organic waste before environmental application.
Microplastic pollution of organic waste products used for soil amendment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in various organic waste products intended for use as soil amendments, including composts, green waste, manure, and sewage sludge. All materials tested contained microplastics, with types and concentrations varying by source. The findings highlight a significant pathway for microplastic contamination of agricultural soils through the use of organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.
Microplastics and impurities in digestates and compost: A comparative study of waste-derived soil amendments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed five types of compost and digestate from organic waste treatment facilities over three months, finding microplastics in all samples at concentrations comprising 30–65% of total plastic content, with fibers, films, and fragments of polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET being most common — highlighting how even properly managed biowaste streams can introduce plastics into agricultural soils.
Microplastics identification and quantification in the composted Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers quantified microplastics in composted organic municipal solid waste from five facilities, finding contamination levels that raise concerns about compost quality and the potential transfer of microplastics to agricultural soils through organic waste recycling.
Microplastic pollution of organic waste products used for soil amendment
AI summary Read the abstract
Organic materials used as soil amendments — including compost, green waste, manure, and sewage sludge — were analyzed and found to contain microplastics, identifying organic fertilizers as a primary source of agricultural soil contamination. The study quantified microplastic concentrations in different amendment types to improve understanding of the scale of this contamination pathway. The findings support calls for better quality controls on organic waste products used in agriculture to limit microplastic spread through the food production system.
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.