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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Factors Influencing the Vertical Migration of Microplastics up and down the Soil Profile
ClearMicroplastic fate in soil environments: Drivers of the vertical transport of mulching film fragments
Researchers investigated the vertical transport of microplastics from plastic mulch films in soil, identifying factors that control how far particles move downward into the soil profile. Particle size, shape, and soil properties were found to be key drivers of microplastic vertical migration.
Microplastic fate in soil environments: Drivers of the vertical transport of mulching film fragments
This study examined the vertical transport and fate of microplastics in soil environments, focusing on particles generated from the degradation of plastic mulch films used in agriculture. Multiple drivers including soil structure, rainfall, and particle properties were shown to influence how deeply microplastics migrate through the soil profile.
Vertical migration of microplastics in porous media: Multiple controlling factors under wet-dry cycling
Researchers studied how microplastics move vertically through sandy soil during cycles of wetting and drying, testing four common plastic types at various particle sizes. They found that smaller, more hydrophobic particles migrated deeper, and that frequent wet-dry cycles and the presence of dissolved organic matter accelerated downward movement. The findings suggest that microplastics in agricultural soils could potentially reach groundwater, posing risks to underground water quality.
Exploring the vertical transport of microplastics in subsurface environments: Lab-scale experiments and field evidence
Researchers investigated how microplastics move downward through soil using laboratory column experiments and field sampling of groundwater. They found that heavier rainfall, smaller particle size, and fiber-shaped microplastics all increased vertical transport through unsaturated soil. Field samples confirmed the presence of microplastics in both soil layers and groundwater, suggesting that surface plastic pollution can migrate into underground water supplies.
Vertical transport of microplastic in agricultural soil in controlled irrigation plot experiments
Researchers conducted field plot experiments in agricultural soil and found that microplastics migrate vertically with irrigation water, with smaller particles (53–63 µm) penetrating up to 6 cm deep and larger particles remaining near the surface, indicating that water infiltration is a key driver of subsurface plastic transport.
Size/shape-dependent migration of microplastics in agricultural soil under simulative and natural rainfall
Researchers found that microplastic migration in agricultural soil under rainfall depends on particle size and shape, with smaller particles moving deeper and rainfall intensity significantly influencing vertical transport patterns in soil profiles.
Vertical transport of microplastics from agricultural mulching films and associated chemical additives in soil ecosystems
Researchers tracked the vertical migration of microplastics derived from agricultural mulching films through soil profiles, finding that plastic particles and associated chemical additives can move downward through the soil column, raising concerns about groundwater contamination.
Processes controlling the transportation of microplastics in agricultural soils
Researchers investigated the physical processes controlling microplastic transport through agricultural soils, examining how soil structure, water flow, bioturbation, and particle properties interact to move microplastics from surface application sites deeper into the soil profile or laterally toward aquatic systems. The study addressed the dual role of agricultural soils as both sinks and potential sources of microplastic pollution to surrounding environments.
Microplastics transport in soils: A critical review
Researchers reviewed how microplastics move through soil, finding that their transport depends on a complex mix of particle properties, soil chemistry, water flow, and biological activity — and that these factors often interact in ways that produce contradictory results across studies. The review maps these knowledge gaps and calls for more controlled experiments to predict where microplastics accumulate and how they might reach groundwater or crops.
Vertical distribution and post-depositional translocation of microplastics in a Rhine floodplain soil
Researchers analyzed a 110-centimeter-deep soil profile from a German river floodplain and found microplastics at every depth, including in layers deposited before the 1950s, suggesting earthworms and plant roots transported particles downward over time. This vertical movement means small microplastics travel deeper into soils than previously thought and complicates using them as markers for recent human impact.
Minimal vertical transport of microplastics in soil over two years with little impact of plastics on soil macropore networks
A two-year field experiment found that microplastics placed on the soil surface moved very little downward, with only about 1% reaching below 8 cm depth, and had minimal effect on soil structure. While this suggests microplastics do not quickly contaminate deeper soil layers, they do persist near the surface where they can still be taken up by shallow-rooted crops.
Transport behavior of microplastics in soil‒water environments and its dependence on soil components
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics move through columns packed with different soil components and found that soil organic matter allowed the highest transport efficiency, with over 90 percent of particles passing through. Electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged microplastics and soil particles was a key factor driving migration. The results suggest that soil composition plays a major role in determining how far microplastics can travel underground toward water sources.
Soil structure strongly controls vertical microplastic transport in floodplain soils
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles move through soil during floods and found that these microplastics can quickly travel deep underground through natural channels like old root holes and worm tunnels. This matters because microplastics in soil can eventually contaminate our groundwater and food crops, but current methods for predicting where they'll go don't account for these underground pathways. Understanding how microplastics move through soil helps us better protect our water supplies and farmland from plastic pollution.
Migration and toxicology of microplastics in soil: A review
This review examines how microplastics migrate through soil, summarizes their known toxic effects on soil organisms and plants, and identifies key gaps in current understanding. Soils are increasingly recognized as major microplastic repositories, and their contamination has implications for food safety and ecosystem health.
A review of the migration mechanisms of microplastics in terrestrial environments
This review maps out how microplastics move through land-based environments via wind, water, gravity, and biological processes like animal ingestion and plant uptake. The paper categorizes movement mechanisms as physical, chemical, or biological, and identifies key factors like particle size and shape that determine where microplastics end up. Understanding these migration pathways is essential for predicting how microplastics in soil can reach water supplies and the food chain.
An insight into laboratory column experiments for microplastic transport in soil
This review synthesizes findings from laboratory column experiments on microplastic transport through soil, examining how particle size, shape, surface chemistry, and soil properties influence how far plastics migrate in the subsurface.
Current understanding of subsurface transport of micro‐ and nanoplastics in soil
This review summarizes current knowledge about how micro- and nanoplastics are transported through soil subsurface environments. Researchers discuss the fundamental mechanisms governing plastic particle movement in soils, including size-dependent filtration, preferential flow through macropores, and interactions with soil colloids. The study highlights significant gaps in understanding how plastics migrate through different soil types and may eventually reach groundwater.
Migration dynamics of PE and PVC microplastics in soil: An experimental column-based investigation on the effects of drip irrigation
Researchers conducted column experiments to track how polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics move through soil under drip irrigation conditions, examining how irrigation practices influence the depth and speed at which these plastic particles migrate. The findings have implications for understanding microplastic contamination of agricultural soils and groundwater.
Microplastics in soils: Production, behavior process, impact on soil organisms, and related toxicity mechanisms
This review examines how microplastics enter and persist in soils, covering their sources from agricultural plastics, irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that microplastics can alter soil structure, affect nutrient cycling, and harm soil organisms like earthworms and microbes. The study highlights significant gaps in understanding the long-term ecological consequences of soil microplastic contamination.
Drip Irrigation Promoted Migration of Microplastic Particles Across Vertical Soil Columns.
Researchers at IIT Roorkee experimentally investigated microplastic particle migration through vertical soil columns under drip irrigation conditions, finding that drip irrigation accelerates downward transport of microplastics across soil horizons compared to surface application scenarios.
Microplastics undergo accelerated vertical migration in sand soil due to small size and wet-dry cycles
Polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics of varying sizes were tracked through sand soil columns under repeated wet-dry cycles, finding that the smallest particles (21 μm PE) migrated deepest and that migration depth increased linearly with the number of wet-dry cycles. The study reveals that small microplastics can penetrate much deeper into soil profiles than larger particles, raising concern about groundwater contamination.
Rainfall-Induced Transport of Microplastics in Soils Depends on Soil Pore Structure
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles move through real soil when it rains, finding that the soil's natural pore structure (like tiny tunnels and holes) determines how deep and fast the plastics travel. This research helps us better understand how microplastics spread through farmland soil, which is important because these plastics could eventually end up in our food and water supply. Understanding this movement is a key step toward predicting long-term health risks from microplastic contamination.
Source, migration and toxicology of microplastics in soil
This review compiles research on the sources, movement, and toxic effects of microplastics in soil ecosystems, an area that has received less attention than aquatic pollution. Researchers describe how microplastics enter soil through agricultural practices, wastewater, and atmospheric deposition, then transfer through food chains to affect organisms at multiple levels. The study identifies major knowledge gaps and proposes management strategies to mitigate the ecological and human health risks of soil microplastic contamination.
Horizontal and vertical mobilisation of microplastics in agricultural soils: run-off and infiltration experiments
Researchers studied the horizontal and vertical movement of microplastics from agricultural mulch films in soil, examining runoff and leaching as transport pathways. The study found that microplastics from mulch films migrate both downward into the soil profile and laterally via surface runoff.