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Investigating the effect of plant presence and leachate irrigation on the distribution of microplastics in different soil depths and the rhizosphere
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Researchers investigated how plant roots and landfill leachate irrigation affect the movement of microplastics through soil layers. The study found that plant presence enhanced microplastic migration into deeper soil, leachate irrigation increased overall microplastic spread, and smaller particles under 0.1 mm were the most abundant, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the dominant polymer types in landfill-adjacent soils.
• Landfills produce significant microplastic pollution. • Plant roots enhance microplastic movement into deeper soil layers. • Leachate irrigation increases microplastic spread in soils. • Smaller microplastics (<0.1 mm) are most abundant and harmful. • Polyethylene and polypropylene are the dominant microplastic polymers. Microplastics are recognized as an emerging environmental challenge, posing a serious threat to human life and other organisms. Landfills act as hotspots for the accumulation and generation of microplastics, as discarded plastic waste gradually fragments under environmental and chemical influences. This study specifically examined soils within the rhizosphere of Ceratocarpus arenarius L. compared to adjacent non-vegetated soils, as well as the effect of landfill leachate on microplastic transport at the Halgheh-Darreh landfill in Karaj. The results showed that soils with both plants and leachate contained the highest number of microplastics (1720 particle/kg), followed by soils without plants but irrigated with leachate (1413 particle/kg). Soils with plants but no leachate contained 953 particle/kg, while the lowest abundance occurred in soils without plants and without leachate (562 particle/kg). These findings demonstrate that both plant and leachate strongly influence the retention and vertical redistribution of microplastics in soil. The percentage of microplastic particles in the size ranges of 1–5 mm, 0.2–1 mm, 0.1–0.2 mm, and <0.1 mm were 16%, 26%, 29%, and 29%, respectively. Black and transparent particles were the most frequently detected colors (23% and 20%), which likely reflects the prevalence of these plastic types in the landfill waste stream. Fibers (34%) and fragments (26%) dominated the shape distribution, and polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common polymers (32% and 28%). Overall, this study provides direct evidence that plant rhizospheres can facilitate the downward migration of microplastic particles, while leachate serves as both a source and a transport medium, jointly determining the fate of microplastics in semi-arid landfill soils.
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Distribution and characteristics of Microplastics in leachate and underneath soil of two informal landfills
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Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in leachate and underlying soils at two informal landfill sites. They found high concentrations of microplastics in both leachate and soil samples, with abundance varying by depth and landfill characteristics. The study indicates that informal landfills are significant sources of microplastic contamination that can leach into surrounding soil and potentially reach groundwater.
Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in soil and leachate at different zones of unsanitary landfill
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in soil and leachate across young, middle-aged, and old zones of an unsanitary landfill. They found that fiber-shaped microplastics were most common, with PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene as the dominant polymers, and that leachate from middle-aged zones had significantly lower microplastic abundance than young or old zones. The study shows that landfill age and environmental degradation influence how microplastics are distributed between soil and leachate.
Influences of land use and depth profile on the characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils
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Researchers examined how land use and soil depth profile influence microplastic characteristics in agricultural soils, finding that wastewater and sludge application, plastic mulching, and atmospheric deposition are key sources, and that MP type and abundance vary with soil management practice and depth, highlighting the importance of vertical distribution in soil MP studies.
Microplastics and Their Distribution in Soil at Municipal Solid Waste Landfills: A Review
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This review investigated microplastic contamination across soil layers at urban municipal solid waste landfill sites, finding that landfill age and waste composition influence MP type and distribution. It identified landfill soils as understudied long-term MP reservoirs with potential for leaching into surrounding environments.
Vertical profiling of micro-plastics in agricultural soils: polymer types, metal interactions, and implication on crop rooting zones.
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Researchers profiled microplastics vertically through agricultural soil at three depths across 11 sites in India, finding that fibers dominated at all depths while fragments and films decreased with depth, with polypropylene and polyethylene as the most common polymers and higher concentrations in crop rooting zones.
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