Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Distinct microplastic distributions in soils of different land-use types: A case study of Chinese farmlands

Microplastic distribution across six types of farmland land use was surveyed from soils in five Chinese provinces to determine how agricultural practices shape soil microplastic contamination. The study found that microplastic abundance varied significantly by land-use type, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation practices as key contributing factors.

2020 Environmental Pollution 278 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in coastal plain soils under three land-use types

Microplastic abundance and polymer composition were characterized in farmland, plantation, and orchard/secondary forest soils from 33 sites on the east China coastal plain. Farmland soils had significantly higher microplastic abundances than forest soils, with agricultural plastic mulching identified as the primary source of the dominant polyethylene film fragments.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in soils with different agricultural practices: Importance of sources with internal origin and environmental fate

Microplastic abundance and characteristics were examined in soils representing four agricultural practice types in Chinese farmland to evaluate the influence of land use on plastic particle accumulation. Microplastic concentrations and polymer types varied by agricultural practice, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation water source as key drivers of farmland soil contamination.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 282 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of soil properties and land use patterns on the distribution of microplastics: A case study in southwest China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in soils across different land use types in Guizhou Province, southwest China. The study found that soil properties and land use patterns significantly influence microplastic abundance and distribution, with agricultural and urban soils generally showing higher contamination levels than less intensively managed areas.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro and microplastics in the soil: abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions under different land uses in an agricultural sub-basin

Researchers examined the abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions of macro- and microplastics in soils under different land uses within an agricultural sub-basin, assessing how land-use patterns influence plastic pollution distribution and potential interactions with the soil environment.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics abundance associated with farmland use types and the impact on soil microbial communities: A case study in Southern China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across orchard, paddy field, and vegetable field soils in Southern China and analyzed how it affected soil microbial communities. They found microplastic levels ranging widely across sites, with very small particles under 30 micrometers being most common, and identified 32 different polymer types. The study shows that farmland use type and agricultural practices like plastic mulching significantly influence both the amount and type of microplastic contamination in soils.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of land use and landscape on the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in soil, China

Researchers investigated how land use patterns affect microplastic contamination in soils across different agricultural, orchard, grassland, and woodland areas in Yunnan Province, China. Agricultural lands, especially those with greenhouses and traditional farming, had significantly higher microplastic levels than grasslands and woodlands, with fragments being the dominant shape. The study suggests that farming practices, including plastic mulch use and fertilizer application, are major contributors to soil microplastic pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distributions, Compositional Profiles, Potential Sources, and Intfluencing Factors of Microplastics in Soils from Different Agricultural Farmlands in China: A National Perspective

Researchers conducted a nationwide survey of microplastics in Chinese agricultural soils, collecting 477 samples from 109 cities across 31 regions, and identified spatial distribution patterns and key factors influencing farmland microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 130 citations
Article Tier 2

Vertical distribution and characteristics of soil microplastics under different land use patterns: A case study of Shouguang City, China

Researchers systematically investigated microplastic distribution across seven land use types and three soil depth layers in Shouguang City, China. The study found that greenhouse and polytunnel agricultural soils had the highest microplastic abundance, dominated by polyethylene and polypropylene film fragments, with concentrations decreasing with depth but still reaching 11-19% of total levels in the deepest layer at 40-60 centimeters.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, spatial distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils and their relationship with contributing factors

Researchers found microplastic concentrations of 2,800 to 82,500 particles per kilogram in agricultural soils of Hainan Island, China, with plastic mulching, farming practices, and environmental factors all contributing to spatial variation in contamination levels.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of plastic film mulching on microplastic in farmland soils in Guangdong province, China

Researchers surveyed farmland in Guangdong, China's largest economic province, to determine how much plastic mulch film contributes to soil microplastic pollution. They found that fields using plastic mulch had significantly higher microplastic levels than those without, and the contamination correlated with years of mulch use. The study helps clarify the direct agricultural contribution to soil microplastic pollution in regions with many overlapping pollution sources.

2023 Heliyon 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of land use and depth profile on the characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils

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.

2025
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effects of agricultural land types on microplastic abundance: A nationwide meta-analysis in China

Meta-analysis of 321 observations across Chinese agricultural soils found that vegetable-growing soils had the highest microplastic contamination, followed by orchards, cropland, and grassland. Agricultural film mulch significantly increased soil microplastic levels, especially in orchards, while higher population density and economic activity correlated with increased contamination across all land types.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China

This review examines plastic pollution in Chinese farmland soils, finding that agricultural practices like mulch film use and sewage sludge application are major sources of both macro- and microplastics that accumulate over time.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Land-use patterns determine the distribution of soil microplastics in typical agricultural areas on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Researchers found that land-use patterns strongly determine microplastic distribution in agricultural soils on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, with facility agriculture and farmland soils containing significantly higher microplastic abundance than grassland and orchard soils.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 122 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural plastic mulching as a source of microplastics in the terrestrial environment

Researchers analyzed 384 soil samples from 19 Chinese provinces and found that macroplastic fragments were concentrated in agricultural fields with plastic mulch film use, providing large-scale field evidence linking agricultural mulching to terrestrial plastic contamination.

2020 Environmental Pollution 1205 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Typical Maize Farmland Soils With Long-Term Plastic Film Mulching in Northern China

A survey of 225 soil samples from maize farmland with long-term plastic film mulching in northern China found widespread microplastic contamination, with abundance, distribution, and polymer composition reflecting the history of film use and agricultural management practices.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 76 citations
Article Tier 2

The distribution of microplastics in soil aggregate fractions in southwestern China

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution across different soil types in agricultural and forested areas near a lake in southwestern China and found plastic particles in every sample, with concentrations as high as 42,960 particles per kilogram. Approximately 95% of the particles fell within the microplastic size range, and fibers were the dominant form, likely originating from textiles and agricultural materials. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination in soils is extensive and varies with land use practices.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 1282 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soils on the coastal plain of Hangzhou Bay, east China: Multiple sources other than plastic mulching film

Researchers analyzed agricultural soils from the Hangzhou Bay coastal plain and found microplastic concentrations of 571 pieces/kg in mulched soils versus 263 pieces/kg in non-mulched soils, with irrigation water identified as an additional major source alongside mulch films. The findings point to multiple input pathways for microplastic accumulation in Chinese farmland soils.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 682 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of land use on the distribution of soil microplastics in the Lihe River watershed, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across five different land use types in a Chinese river watershed. They found that urban soils had the highest microplastic levels, followed by agricultural areas, with woodland having the lowest, and that population density strongly correlated with microplastic diversity. The study suggests that human activity intensity and plastic waste disposal are the main drivers of soil microplastic pollution at the watershed scale.

2023 Chemosphere 32 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence and distributions characteristics of microplastics in soils of different land use patterns in Karst Plateau, Southwest China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across five different land use types in a karst mountainous region of southwest China. The study found that all soil types were polluted with microplastics, with garden land showing the highest average abundance at 4,200 particles per kilogram, and that land use patterns and crop types influenced the characteristics and concentrations of microplastic contamination.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Microplastic Pollution in Agricultural Soils in Xiangtan, China

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in agricultural soils in Xiangtan, China, finding an average abundance of over 4,300 particles per kilogram of soil. The study found that rice paddies and vegetable fields contained different microplastic profiles, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the most common types, pointing to mulch film and irrigation water as likely sources.

2024 Sustainability 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of soil microplastics and their impact on soil physicochemical properties in agricultural areas of the North China plain

Microplastics are accumulating across agricultural soils of the North China Plain, with this study finding moderate-to-low abundance across multiple land use types and detecting that plastic particles affect soil texture, bulk density, and water-holding capacity. Altered soil physical properties from microplastic contamination could impair crop growth and soil fertility over time, with implications for food security.

2024 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic diversity, risks and soil impacts: A multi-metric assessment across land-use systems

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance, polymer diversity, and ecological risk across seven land-use types in India's Brahmaputra Valley, finding that built-up areas had the highest particle counts while forest soils paradoxically showed the greatest polymer hazard scores due to high-risk polymers, and that land-use type shapes both the quantity and composition of soil microplastic contamination.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations