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Emerging Global Threat of Microplastics and Their Impact on Soil Sustainability: A Case of Southeast Nigeria
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This review examined microplastic pollution in Southeast Nigeria, focusing on sources from fragmented plastic waste and environmental and health impacts. The authors highlighted local knowledge gaps and called for regional policies addressing the ecological and endocrine-disrupting effects of microplastics in a rapidly developing area.
Plastics became an integral part of daily life from food packaging to water bottles, but their environmental and health impacts raised significant concerns. Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, originated primarily from the fragmentation of larger plastic materials. These particles not only disrupted endocrine signaling but also caused cellular damage, making their ecological impact a critical area of study. A recent review examined water-soluble polymers, a rapidly growing class of materials found in cosmetics, paints, food packaging, and water purification systems. Despite their utility, these materials posed serious environmental risks due to their chemical composition and resistance to biodegradation. In some cases, their degradation products were even more hazardous and persisted in soil for extended periods. Studies showed that water-soluble plastics, such as polyethylene, posed significant threats to the environment. While they might not have appeared immediately harmful, their breakdown products had severe long-term effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Among the many global challenges to soil sustainability, MPs-induced soil perturbations were especially concerning in regions referred to as the “Global South.” In soil, MPs stressed beneficial microbial populations by blocking digestive tracts or altering biological processes, thereby weakening the overall soil ecosystem. Since soil biomes played a crucial role in decomposition and nutrient cycling, particularly the nitrogen cycle, their disruption profoundly affected soil health. Therefore, by disrupting vital natural processes essential for maintaining soil health, the presence of MPs demonstrated the potential to physically alter both the biological and physicochemical configuration of the soil. The continuous rise in plastic pollution and the emerging threats posed by MPs to soil sustainability worldwide remained urgent concerns. This study highlighted the risks that MPs posed to the physical, chemical, and biological components of the soil ecosystem.
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A survey of soils across four land-use types in southeastern Nigeria found microplastic concentrations up to 12 times higher in commercial areas than in forests, with contamination linked to changes in soil structure, nutrient availability, and water infiltration. This is the first large-scale assessment of microplastic distribution in Nigerian tropical soils, filling a major data gap for sub-Saharan Africa. The findings suggest that heavily contaminated commercial soils may have degraded agricultural and ecological functionality, with consequences for food security in the region.
Global Plastic Pollution and the Nigerian Dimensions
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