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Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to Quantification of wind-driven MP mobilisation potential in semi-arid regions in Kazakhstan using wind tunnel experiments
ClearA neglected transport of plastic debris to cities from farmland in remote arid regions
Researchers found that wind erosion in semiarid farmland regions transports significant quantities of plastic debris, including microplastics, to distant urban areas, identifying a previously neglected long-range transport pathway in arid environments.
Microplastics in agricultural soils from a semi-arid region and their transport by wind erosion
Researchers found microplastics heterogeneously distributed in agricultural soils from semi-arid Iran, with plastic-mulched and wastewater-irrigated fields both contaminated, and demonstrated that wind erosion can transport microplastics from soil surfaces to new locations.
Wind erosion induced low-density microplastics migration at landscape scale in a semi-arid region of northern China
Researchers sampled agricultural fields with plastic film mulching and adjacent downwind grasslands in a semi-arid region of northern China, finding that wind erosion transported low-density microplastic fragments at landscape scale from agricultural sources into natural grassland ecosystems.
Wind erosion as a driver for transport of light density microplastics
Researchers investigated wind erosion as a transport mechanism for microplastics across different land uses in Iran and found that wind-eroded sediments contained significant quantities of light-density microplastic particles. Agricultural and barren lands showed higher microplastic concentrations in wind-eroded material. The study identifies wind as an important but overlooked pathway for spreading microplastic contamination across landscapes.
Are we underestimating microplastic emissions from agricultural soils?
This review examines evidence that wind erosion from agricultural soils in drylands is a significant and underestimated source of atmospheric microplastic emissions. The authors argue that existing emission inventories focus too heavily on urban and aquatic sources, and that dryland agricultural soils—covering 40% of Earth's land surface—likely emit substantial quantities of plastic particles through wind erosion.
Atmospheric Microplastics Emission Source Potentials and Deposition Patterns in Semi‐Arid Croplands of Northern China
Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic emissions from croplands in semi-arid northern China, where wind erosion events are common. They found that fiber-shaped particles dominated airborne microplastics and that concentrations increased significantly when air masses passed over cropland surfaces. The study reveals that agricultural land in dry regions may be an underrecognized source of airborne microplastic pollution.
Resuspension of microplastic particles from arid regions and global impacts on atmospheric concentrations and deposition
Researchers modeled how microplastics from arid and semi-arid regions are resuspended by wind and transported globally through the atmosphere. The simulations showed that desert regions can be significant secondary sources of airborne microplastic particles, contributing to plastic deposition even in remote ecosystems far from human activity.
Microplastics are released from agricultural soils to the atmosphere by wind erosion
Researchers measured microplastics released from agricultural soils into the air by wind erosion in vegetable-growing fields in Iran. Using a portable wind tunnel, they quantified plastic particles in both soil and wind-eroded sediment. The findings confirm that agricultural soils are a source of airborne microplastics, adding to the pathways by which plastic particles from farmlands reach remote environments.
Is plastic dust different from mineral dust? Results from idealized wind tunnel experiments.
Researchers conducted wind tunnel experiments to compare how plastic particles of different sizes detach from flat surfaces in wind compared to mineral dust particles. Plastic particles required higher wind speeds to become airborne than mineral dust of similar size, likely due to shape differences. These findings inform atmospheric transport models for predicting how far and how much microplastic can be carried by wind across the landscape.
Amount and characteristics of microplastic and organic matter in wind-blown sediment at different heights within the aeolian sand saltation layer
Researchers investigated microplastics in wind-blown sediment at different heights within the aeolian saltation layer over farmlands using plastic mulch, finding that wind erosion redistributes microplastics and enriches them at specific heights above the soil surface.
Atmospheric Resuspension of Microplastics from Bare Soil Regions
Researchers developed a method to estimate how microplastics get lifted from bare soil into the atmosphere along with mineral dust, then modeled their global transport and deposition. They found that this soil-based resuspension is a meaningful source of atmospheric microplastics, with fiber-shaped particles traveling significantly farther than spherical ones. The study suggests that dust storms and wind erosion from agricultural and arid lands may be an underappreciated pathway for spreading microplastic contamination worldwide.
Macroplastic surface characteristics change during wind abrasion
Laboratory wind tunnel experiments showed that wind-driven abrasion of macroplastics on sandy surfaces produces distinct surface features and generates secondary microplastic particles, demonstrating that wind erosion is a meaningful pathway for plastic fragmentation in arid and coastal environments.
Microplastic in an Arid Region: Identification, Quantification and Characterization on and Alongside Roads in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in road dust, roadside soils, and stormwater runoff in Al Ain City, Abu Dhabi, identifying tire wear material, fibers, and degraded plastic bag and bottle fragments as dominant particle types and finding that Aeolian (wind-driven) transport is likely more important than water transport in this arid region.
Microplastic abundance and distribution in a Central Asian desert
Microplastics were found in desert sediments of Central Asia at concentrations similar to levels reported in some ocean surface samples, with fibers dominating and their deposition attributed to wind-driven atmospheric transport, establishing that even arid, sparsely populated deserts are not immune to global microplastic dispersal.
The effects of sediment properties on the aeolian abrasion and surface characteristics of microplastics
Laboratory experiments quantified how sediment properties influence the rate at which wind abrades and fragments exposed microplastics, generating smaller particles. The results improve understanding of aeolian (wind-driven) microplastic fragmentation as a source of airborne micro- and nanoplastics in arid environments.
Microplastic transport during desertification in drylands: Abundance and characterization of soil microplastics in the Amu Darya-Aral Sea basin, Central Asia
Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across a 1,000-kilometer stretch of dryland desert soils in Central Asia, from the Amu Darya River to the Aral Sea basin. They found microplastics at every sampling location, with 24 different polymer types identified and concentrations varying widely depending on land use and proximity to human activity. The study suggests that desertification processes may help transport and redistribute microplastics across large arid landscapes.
Is transport of microplastics different from that of mineral dust? Results from idealized wind tunnel studies
Researchers conducted wind tunnel experiments to examine the detachment and transport behavior of microplastics ranging from 38 to 125 um in diameter from idealized substrates, comparing their aerodynamic behavior to the well-established literature on mineral dust transport. The study identified key differences in microplastic detachment mechanisms relevant to understanding long-range atmospheric dispersal of plastic particles.
Entrainment and horizontal atmospheric transport of microplastics from soil
Researchers investigated the mechanisms by which microplastics become entrained from soil into the atmosphere, finding that wind-driven processes can transport plastic particles horizontally near the ground surface, establishing agricultural soils as a significant source of airborne microplastics.
Plastic mulch film induced soil microplastic enrichment and its impact on wind-blown sand and dust
Field experiments in semi-arid northern China showed that plastic mulch film use significantly enriched microplastics in surface soils compared to unfilmed plots, and that wind-blown sand and dust from mulched farmland transported microplastics to surrounding environments.
Spatiotemporal distribution and potential sources of atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment of Northwest China
Atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment in northwest China ranged from 79.5 to 810.0 particles per square meter per day, with peak deposition in summer, fibres and fragments dominating, and source analysis pointing to local plastic products and waste as primary contributors.