Microplastics in an agricultural soil following repeated application of three types of sewage sludge: A field study

Microplastics were investigated in an agricultural soil to which three types of sludge were repeatedly applied: fresh municipal sludge (FSS1), fresh mixed sludge (mainly industrial sludge) (FSS2), and dry heat-treated municipal sludge (DSS). The percentages of microplastics <1.0 mm were 24.3 and 28.7-59.1 % in unamended and amended soils, respectively. Particles of this size accounted for 47.1-60.0 % of microplastics in different sludges and polymers of particle size <100 μm occurred in all soil samples and sludges examined. Fibers were the commonest microplastic type, ranging from 66.7 to 82.5 % in soil and 89.4-97.2 % in sludges. Polyester (PES) and polypropylene (PP) accounted for ~80 % of the total microplastics found in soil and poly-(styrene:acrylate) (PS-AC) microspheres were found in all sludge-amended soil samples examined. There was also a pronounced weathering effect on the surfaces of the microplastics in soil. Nine years of repeated sludge application led to the accumulation of microplastics in the soil. The abundance of microplastics was significantly higher in the municipal sludge (149.2 ± 52.5 particles kg) than in the mixed (68.6 ± 21.5 particles kg) or dried (73.1 ± 15.4 particles kg) sludge and this was related to the microplastic abundance in the sludges. This field study confirms that sludges are drivers of soil microplastic pollution and measures are required to minimize the inputs of microplastics to agricultural land.