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Microscopic animals are busy distributing microplastics throughout the world’s soil
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Microplastics were discovered in the intestines of microscopic animals on a remote Antarctic island, demonstrating that even the most isolated terrestrial ecosystems are not spared from plastic contamination. These tiny soil-dwelling animals actively redistribute microplastics throughout soil layers worldwide, expanding the reach of plastic pollution far beyond initial deposition sites.
Our research on a remote Antarctic island found microplastics in the intestines of tiny animals.
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Microplastics aren’t just a problem for the ocean – they’re in our soils too
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Microplastic contamination of agricultural soils is now widespread globally, with modeling approaches enabling researchers to estimate pollution levels across regions where direct sampling is limited. Soil microplastics threaten crop productivity and soil ecosystem health, and because they move into groundwater and food crops, they represent a direct human exposure pathway beyond what is found in oceans.
Microplastics in Soil: Unveiling the Threat Within the Earth’s Crucial Ecosystem
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Researchers surveyed the sources, ecological impacts, and remediation strategies for microplastic contamination in soil, revealing that agricultural practices, plastic mulch, sewage sludge application, and atmospheric deposition are primary pathways loading microplastics into terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microplastics threaten plant health, soil microbiome function, and food security while serving as a vector carrying toxic additives and pathogens up the food chain to humans.
Microplastics in Soil: An Emerging Threat
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Researchers reviewed the emerging problem of microplastic pollution in soil, tracing contamination to agricultural practices, industrial activities, and atmospheric deposition, and examining downstream risks to ecosystem health and human well-being.
Microplastics in Soils and Sediments
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Researchers examine the distribution, persistence, and ecological impacts of microplastics in soils and sediments, documenting their effects on agricultural productivity, soil ecology, and food security as a globally recognized biosphere hazard driven by human activity.
Microplastics are in our fertilisers and soils, yet we know next to nothing about their environmental and health impacts
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Researchers highlighted that microplastics are routinely present in both synthetic and organic fertilizers, meaning they are being directly applied to farmland worldwide, yet almost nothing is known about how this contaminates food crops or affects the health of people who eat them.
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.