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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Soil water repellency of two disturbed soils contaminated with different agricultural microplastics tested under controlled laboratory conditions
ClearMicroplastic induces soil water repellency and limits capillary flow
Laboratory experiments showed that microplastics mixed with sandy soil induced water repellency and reduced capillary water flow, with the magnitude of the effect depending on MP content and the relative sizes of MP and soil particles. The findings suggest that microplastic accumulation in soil can impair water infiltration and potentially disrupt plant-available water in agricultural soils.
Microplastics effects on wettability, pore sizes and saturated hydraulic conductivity of a loess topsoil
Researchers tested how polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene microplastics at concentrations already found in farmland soils affect key physical properties of agricultural soil. They found that adding microplastics reduced the soil's ability to conduct water and hold moisture, with larger particles at higher concentrations causing the greatest changes. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils could alter water movement and availability in ways that may affect crop growth.
Microplastic polymer type impacts water infiltration and its own transport in soil
Researchers conducted laboratory soil column experiments to examine how microplastic polymer type affects both water infiltration rates and the transport of the plastic particles themselves through soil, testing the two most commonly used agricultural microplastic types under controlled hydrological conditions. The study found that polymer type significantly influenced both water flow dynamics and microplastic mobility in soil, with important implications for predicting plastic fate in agricultural and natural terrestrial ecosystems.
Impacts of Microplastics on the Soil Biophysical Environment
Four common microplastic types (polyacrylic fibers, polyamide beads, polyester fibers, PE fragments) were added to loamy sand soil at environmentally relevant concentrations in a garden experiment and effects on soil-water relationships, structure, and microbial function were measured over 5 weeks. Results showed that microplastics altered water repellency, aggregate stability, and microbial activity in a plastic-type-dependent manner, confirming that microplastics can disrupt fundamental soil biophysical processes.
Retention mechanisms of microplastics in soil environments during saturation-desaturation cycles: Impact of hydrophobicity and pore geometry
This study used tiny lab models of soil pores to examine how microplastics get trapped in soil depending on their water-repelling properties and the shape of soil passages. More water-repellent microplastics stuck more firmly to surfaces and were retained at higher rates, up to 50% in some conditions. Understanding how microplastics move through soil is important for predicting whether they will reach groundwater or stay trapped near the surface where they can affect crops.
Impact of plastic mulch film debris on soil physicochemical and hydrological properties
This study compared low-density polyethylene and biodegradable plastic mulch films in agricultural soils, finding that both types left plastic residues that altered soil water infiltration, aggregate stability, and other physicochemical properties relevant to crop productivity.
Concentration‐ and Size‐Dependent Influences of Microplastics on Soil Hydraulic Properties and Water Flow
Researchers investigated how microplastic concentration and particle size affect soil hydraulic properties and water flow. They found that microplastic contamination reduced saturated conductivity by up to 50% and inhibited water infiltration, with higher concentrations and larger particle sizes leading to weaker soil water-holding capacity.
Horizontal and vertical mobilisation of microplastics in agricultural soils: run-off and infiltration experiments
Researchers measured the horizontal runoff and vertical leaching of microplastics from agricultural mulching films in field plots, quantifying transport under simulated rainfall. Both transport pathways were significant, with particle size and soil properties influencing how far microplastics moved from their source.
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.
Anthropogenic Factors Affecting Soil Water Repellency: Comparative Analysis of Fire Events, Microplastic Pollution, and Soil Amendment
Researchers compared how three anthropogenic factors — fire, high-density polyethylene microplastic pollution at 5% w/w, and hydrophobic biochar amendment at 1% w/w — affect soil water repellency in sandy soils, measuring contact angles to quantify how each treatment increases water infiltration resistance.
Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the vertical migration of pesticides in soil
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the vertical migration of pesticide mixtures in soil using stainless steel column experiments with sandy reference soil, finding that microplastics' hydrophobic surfaces and high sorption capacity altered the transport of 20 pesticides compared to uncontaminated soil.
Saturated hydraulic conductivity in microplastics incorporated soils: Effects of soil texture, polymer type, particle size, and concentration
Researchers measured saturated hydraulic conductivity in loam and sandy loam soils amended with PET, PVC, and PE microplastics of two size classes, finding that PET particles in sandy loam produced the highest conductivity values and that polymer hydrophobicity and particle size both influence soil water flow.
Macro and microplastics in agricultural soils after use of conventional and biodegradable plastics
Researchers sampled 38 agricultural fields where conventional polyethylene mulching films, polypropylene weed fabrics, biodegradable PBAT films, and frost covers had been used, quantifying macro- and microplastic contamination in soils to assess how different agricultural plastic products contribute to soil plastic pollution.
Experimental Investigation of Water-Retaining and Unsaturated Infiltration Characteristics of Loess Soils Imbued with Microplastics
Researchers conducted one-dimensional vertical soil column rainfall infiltration experiments on loess soil mixed with microplastics at varying content levels and particle sizes, finding that microplastics weakened soil water-retaining capacity and altered infiltration characteristics, with intermittent irrigation recommended to compensate for reduced soil permeability.
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.
Effect of microplastics used in agronomic practices on agricultural soil properties and plant functions: Potential contribution to the circular economy of rural areas
Researchers measured the effects of microplastics used in common agricultural practices — including mulch film residues and irrigation-delivered particles — on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Microplastic presence altered soil aggregation, water retention, and microbial community composition, with effects depending on plastic concentration, polymer type, and soil texture.
Microplastic-induced alterations in water flow and solute transport dynamics in soil
Researchers conducted laboratory experiments to measure how microplastics alter water flow and nutrient transport through soil. They found that polyethylene and PVC microplastics clogged soil pores, reducing water conductivity by up to 74% and creating uneven flow patterns. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils could significantly impair water and nutrient delivery to crops.
Effect of Polypropylene Microplastic on Soil Water Characteristic Curve
Researchers experimentally measured the effect of polypropylene microplastics of varying sizes and concentrations on the soil water characteristic curve of silty sand, finding that microplastic addition alters soil pore structure in ways that modify water retention and drainage behavior with implications for agricultural productivity.
Impact of Plastic Residues on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity: A Comprehensive Research Study
This agricultural field study assessed how plastic residues at varying contamination levels affect soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and crop productivity, finding that higher microplastic concentrations disrupted soil structure, reduced microbial activity, and lowered plant growth.
Can Microplastic Pollution Change Soil-Water Dynamics? Results from Controlled Laboratory Experiments
Researchers conducted controlled laboratory experiments examining how microplastic shape and concentration affect soil water-holding capacity and evaporation in fine sand, finding through statistical and non-parametric analyses that microplastic pollution at environmentally relevant concentrations significantly altered both hydrological parameters.
Microplastic polymer type impacts water infiltration and its own transport in soil
Researchers examined how different types of microplastics move through soil and affect water infiltration. They found that polypropylene, being more hydrophobic, impeded water flow more strongly than polyethylene terephthalate, while PET was more mobile in the soil column. The study suggests that a microplastic's surface properties and density play key roles in determining both how it travels through soil and how much it disrupts water movement.
Soil texture is an important factor determining how microplastics affect soil hydraulic characteristics
This study tested how polypropylene microplastics of different sizes affect how water moves through three types of soil. Adding microplastics reduced the soil's ability to absorb and hold water by up to 96%, with clay soils being the most affected. These changes to soil water flow could affect crop growth and potentially increase the movement of other pollutants through contaminated farmland.
Microplastics alter soil structural stability as quantified by high-energy moisture characteristics
Scientists found that adding polypropylene and polyethylene microplastic fibers to soil changed its physical structure by altering pore spaces and weakening soil aggregates. Larger fiber sizes and higher concentrations caused more disruption to soil water retention and drainage. These changes to soil structure could affect crop growth and water management on farms where microplastic contamination from irrigation or mulch films has accumulated.
Dry‐wet alternation and microplastics particle size effects on and contributions to soil water and soil pore properties
Researchers examined how microplastics of different particle sizes affect soil water properties and pore characteristics under repeated drying-wetting cycles typical of agricultural fields. They found that both microplastic size and the drying-wetting alternation influenced soil hydraulic parameters and pore distributions. The study suggests that microplastic residues in farmland soils may alter water retention and movement in ways that could affect agricultural productivity.