Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastics and Associated Heavy Metals in Urban Soils Affected by Anthropogenic Littering: Distribution, Spatial Variation, and Influence of Soil Properties

Researchers sampled soils across residential, commercial, and industrial land-use types in urban areas and found microplastics in every location, with polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide as the dominant polymer types, at concentrations up to 850,000 particles per kilogram. Heavy metals were also associated with the plastic particles, meaning microplastics in urban soil may serve as combined carriers of chemical toxicants. The findings highlight urban soil as a major but underappreciated reservoir of microplastic pollution.

2023 Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Global concentrations of microplastic in soils, a review

This global review synthesized data from studies on microplastic concentrations in soils worldwide, finding contamination across diverse terrestrial environments with higher levels near urban areas and agricultural land. Terrestrial soils are estimated to contain far more microplastic than the world's oceans, making them a critical but understudied reservoir of plastic pollution.

2020 30 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

Urban Microplastic Pollution Revealed by a Large-Scale Wetland Soil Survey

Researchers conducted a large-scale survey of wetland soils across an urban area and found an average of 379 microplastic particles per kilogram, with abundance closely linked to proximity to the city's economic center. Polypropylene was the most common polymer type, and fiber and fragment shapes dominated the samples. The study found that atmospheric particle pollution and heavy metal concentrations in soil were strongly correlated with microplastic levels, suggesting shared urban pollution sources.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in urban and industrial soils of Ahvaz metropolis: A city with a sustained record of air pollution

Researchers documented microplastic contamination in urban and industrial soils of Ahvaz, Iran for the first time, finding concentrations up to 3,135 particles per kilogram in urban areas, with the highest levels in city centers lacking adequate sanitation infrastructure.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 105 citations
Article Tier 2

The spatial distribution of microplastics in topsoils of an urban environment - Coimbra city case-study

Researchers mapped microplastic contamination across urban soils in Coimbra, Portugal, comparing samples from parks, roadsides, and other land uses. They found microplastics in all soil samples, with higher concentrations in areas with more human activity and artificial surfaces. The study demonstrates that urban soils are significant reservoirs of microplastic pollution and that land use patterns strongly influence contamination levels.

2022 Environmental Research 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Residential Soils

Researchers collected surface soil from three residential density zones in Surabaya, Indonesia, and characterized microplastics by abundance, shape, color, and polymer type. Microplastics were present in all samples, with concentrations higher in denser residential areas, likely reflecting greater per-capita plastic use and outdoor plastic degradation.

2025 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
Article Tier 2

Microplastic characteristic in the soil across the Tibetan Plateau

Researchers systematically investigated microplastic pollution across the Tibetan Plateau, finding widespread contamination averaging 47 items per kilogram of soil, with fibers predominating and concentrations influenced by proximity to human activities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 129 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

Microplastics in urban soils of Nanjing in eastern China: Occurrence, relationships, and sources

Researchers surveyed microplastics in urban green space soils across Nanjing, China, finding an average abundance of 461 particles per kilogram with fibers and fragments as the dominant forms. Source analysis linked microplastic patterns to nearby delivery and recycling activity points, suggesting that urban logistics infrastructure is an underrecognized microplastic source.

2022 Chemosphere 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in urban green-belt soil in Shihezi City, China

Researchers found microplastic concentrations ranging from 287 to 3,227 particles per kilogram in urban green-belt soils in Shihezi City, China, with fibers dominating and polystyrene and polyethylene as the primary polymer types, pointing to atmospheric deposition and road runoff as key sources.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from remote, agricultural, and urban environments

Microplastics were detected in all Icelandic soil samples from remote, agricultural, and urban sites, with urban soils showing the highest average counts (26,206 particles/kg) and remote soils the lowest (857 particles/kg), confirming that even sparsely inhabited areas experience MP contamination.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics in soil with context to human activities: a case study from the urban center

Researchers mapped the spatial distribution of microplastics in topsoil across different land use types in an urbanized city in the upper Indus plain. They found that agricultural and urban areas had significantly higher microplastic concentrations than less developed areas, with fibers being the dominant particle type. The study links microplastic soil contamination patterns to specific human activities including irrigation with wastewater, plastic mulching, and industrial discharge.

2020 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics are ubiquitous and increasing in soil of a sprawling urban area, Phoenix (Arizona)

Researchers found that microplastics are ubiquitous in desert soils across the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, with concentrations ranging from 122 to 1,299 particles per kilogram. The study suggests that soil microplastic levels increased significantly between 2005 and 2015, with atmospheric deposition contributing an average of 178 microplastics per square meter per day.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification, characterization, and implications of microplastics in soil – A case study of Bhopal, central India

Researchers identified and characterized microplastics in soils from Bhopal, central India, documenting their occurrence, distribution, and polymer composition to assess the extent of soil contamination from poor plastic waste management practices.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Contaminación del suelo por microplásticos: panorama actual

This review synthesizes current knowledge on soil contamination by microplastics as an emerging pollutant, analyzing 96 peer-reviewed studies from databases including Scopus and Web of Science to characterize sources, distribution patterns, and ecological effects of microplastics in terrestrial soil matrices.

2022 PÄDI Boletín Científico de Ciencias Básicas e Ingenierías del ICBI 2 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

An evaluation on microplastic accumulations in Turkish soils under different land uses

Researchers analyzed 55 soil samples from agricultural and urban areas across three Turkish regions, finding higher microplastic concentrations in agricultural soils (averaging 193 particles/kg) than urban soils, with polyethylene fibers under 1 mm dominating both land use types.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Article Tier 2

First national reference of microplastic contamination of French soils

Researchers established the first nationwide reference data for microplastic contamination in French soils by analyzing 33 samples from diverse land uses across the country. They found microplastics in virtually all samples, with agricultural and urban soils showing the highest concentrations, and identified polyethylene and polypropylene as the most common polymer types. The study provides an important baseline for tracking future soil contamination trends in France.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils including pristine, agricultural, and urban sites to determine whether long-range atmospheric deposition reaches this sparsely populated island. Microplastics were detected across all site types, confirming atmospheric transport as a pathway to remote northern ecosystems.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Estimation of microplastics distribution in soil sample from District Una, Himachal Pradesh, India

Researchers measured microplastic distribution in soil samples from District Una in Himachal Pradesh, India, finding widespread microplastic contamination across agricultural and peri-urban sites. Fibre fragments dominated the sample profile, and concentrations were higher near roads and populated areas, pointing to human activity as the primary deposition pathway.

2024 Journal of Toxicological Studies 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution Characteristics of Microplastics in Soils in Southeastern Suburbs of Baoding City, China

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution in soils from the southeastern suburbs of Beijing, finding widespread contamination across 12 sampling sites with fibers and fragments as the dominant forms, and highlighting agricultural activities and urban runoff as likely sources. The study contributes soil-ecosystem baseline data to a research area dominated by aquatic microplastic studies.

2020 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban soil microplastic characterization across diverse land use types along the Anyangcheon stream in Seoul, Korea

Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in urban soils along the Anyangcheon stream in Seoul, South Korea, across three different land-use types. They found microplastics at all sampling locations, with variations in abundance and polymer composition between high schools, park playgrounds, and residential areas. The study provides new data on the spatial distribution of soil microplastics in densely populated urban settings and their potential relationship to nearby waterways.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Examining Soil Microplastics: Prevalence and Consequences Across Varied Land Use Contexts

Scientists examined microplastic contamination in soil samples from different land use areas in Makassar City, Indonesia. They found microplastics present across all sites, with the types and concentrations varying based on how the land was used, whether for agriculture, residential, or commercial purposes. The study suggests that human activity patterns strongly influence the amount and kind of microplastic pollution found in urban and agricultural soils.

2024 Civil Engineering Journal 26 citations