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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to A risk assessment framework for fragmenting (micro-)plastics. A case study for polymer coated fertilizers in soil
ClearA risk assessment framework for fragmenting (micro-)plastics. A case study for polymer coated fertilizers in soil
Researchers developed a risk assessment framework for microplastics released from polymer-coated fertilizer coatings in soil, modeling fragmentation over time and rescaling toxicity and exposure data to consistent metrics. The study found that accounting for the bioavailable fraction of particles is essential for accurate ecological risk characterization.
Mechanisms of microplastic generation from polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs)
This study investigated how the plastic coatings on slow-release fertilizers break down and release microplastics into soil. Significantly more microplastic particles were released in soil conditions than in water alone, and wet-dry cycles accelerated the breakdown, meaning agricultural soils receiving these fertilizers may be accumulating substantial amounts of microplastic pollution.
Quantification and identification of microplastics in organic fertilizers: the implication for the manufacture and safe application
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in 23 commercial organic fertilizers, finding widespread presence at levels that could meaningfully contribute to agricultural soil pollution when fertilizers are applied. The results raise concerns about organic fertilizers as an underappreciated pathway for microplastics entering farm soils and the food system.
Environmental fate and impacts of microplastics in soil ecosystems: Progress and perspective
This review summarized knowledge on microplastics in soil environments, covering occurrence across agricultural, industrial, and urban soils, transport pathways, and ecological risks to soil organisms and plant communities. The authors identify key data gaps and methodological challenges that currently limit understanding of microplastic fate and impact in terrestrial systems.
A simplified model for size and shape of microplastics in soil: implications for risk assessment and particle measurement
Researchers developed a simplified model for characterizing microplastic size and shape in soil to address the lack of standardized measurement approaches, with implications for improving probabilistic risk assessment and fate modeling of microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems.
A probabilistic risk assessment of microplastics in soil ecosystems
A probabilistic risk assessment comparing environmental microplastic concentrations in soils with effect concentrations from toxicity studies found that current soil microplastic levels pose a low but non-negligible risk to soil biota, with uncertainty driven by data gaps in both exposure and hazard data.
Microplastics in soils: assessment, analytics and risks
This review examines microplastic prevalence, analytical methods, and risks in soils, finding that terrestrial microplastic contamination has received far less attention than marine accumulation despite comparable or greater abundance. Researchers evaluated current difficulties in soil microplastic sampling, isolation, and identification and called for standardised methodologies to assess ecological and human health risks.
Assessment of potential ecological risk for microplastic particles
Researchers developed a framework for assessing the ecological risk of microplastic particles, incorporating particle characteristics, environmental concentrations, and species sensitivity data. The assessment identified conditions under which current environmental microplastic levels pose significant risk to aquatic organisms.
Fate and Transport Pathways of Microplastics in Agricultural Soil and their Interaction with Agrochemicals
Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics move through agricultural soil and interact with agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. The study highlights that industrialization-driven plastic accumulation fragments into microplastics in farming environments, where their interactions with agricultural chemicals may amplify environmental and food safety risks.
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.
Microplastics and nanoplastics in agriculture—A potential source of soil and groundwater contamination?
Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics (tiny plastic fragments) contaminate agricultural soils and can migrate through the soil into groundwater, potentially carrying pesticides and other chemicals with them. They conclude that current analytical tools are inadequate and that plastic fragmentation in soils is a poorly understood but serious threat to drinking water supplies.
Ecological risk assessment framework for microplastics in agricultural soils amended with biosolids
This study proposes a framework for assessing the ecological risks of microplastics in agricultural soils that have been treated with biosolids from wastewater processing. Researchers highlight that risk depends not just on the amount of microplastics, but also on their size, shape, and type. The framework aims to give regulators and scientists a more structured way to evaluate and manage microplastic contamination in farmland.
Probabilistic environmental risk assessment of microplastics in soils
This study developed a probabilistic risk assessment framework for evaluating microplastic contamination in soils. Researchers analyzed data from multiple studies to estimate the likelihood and severity of microplastic risks to soil ecosystems. The findings indicate that agricultural soils are particularly vulnerable and that current contamination levels in some regions may already pose ecological risks.
The potential contribution of microplastic pollution by organic fertilizers in agricultural soils of Bangladesh: quantification, characterization, and risk appraisals
Researchers found an average of 1,530 microplastic particles per kilogram of commercial organic fertilizer in Bangladesh, estimating that annual fertilizer application could introduce up to 1,387 metric tons of microplastics to agricultural soils nationwide.
Microplastics and nanoplastics: fate, transport, and governance from agricultural soil to food webs and humans
This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics from agricultural sources like plastic mulch and fertilizers accumulate in soil, get taken up by plants, and enter the food chain. Many lab toxicity studies use unrealistically high plastic concentrations, but even the lower levels found in real farm fields can pose long-term cumulative risks, and major gaps remain in standardized risk assessment methods.
Microplastics in cultivated soil environment: Construction of toxicity grading evaluation system, development of priority control checklist, and toxicity mechanism analysis
Researchers constructed a toxicity grading evaluation system for microplastics in cultivated soil, developing a priority control checklist that ranks different plastic types by their ecological harm and identifies key toxicity mechanisms affecting soil quality.
Microplastics in soils: A review of methods, occurrence, fate, transport, ecological and environmental risks
This review examines the sources, detection methods, and environmental behavior of microplastics in soils, an area that has received far less attention than marine microplastic pollution. Researchers found that microplastics interact with soil properties and organisms in complex ways, potentially entering the human food chain. The study calls for standardized methods and more research into how these tiny plastic particles move through and affect terrestrial ecosystems.
Generation Characteristics of Micro Plastics from Different Types of Coated Controlled-Release Fertilizer Films
Researchers conducted soil incubation experiments simulating five years of continuous application of three polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers to characterize microplastic generation from their degrading coating films. The study found that the polymer coating type significantly affected both fertilizer release characteristics and microplastic production, with changes in soil nitrogen fractions and electrical conductivity influencing the rate of membrane shell degradation and subsequent plastic particle release.
From risk assessment towards risk based testing and reduction: monitoring microplastic contamination in arable fields
Researchers examined microplastic contamination levels in arable agricultural fields and developed a framework advancing from standard risk assessment toward risk-based testing and reduction strategies, noting that approximately 90% of microplastics in the environment are found in terrestrial ecosystems.
Strategy towards producing relevant and reliable data for the hazard assessment of micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils
This paper outlines a strategy for producing better scientific data on the hazards of micro and nanoplastics in agricultural soils. Current research suffers from a lack of standardized testing methods, unrealistic experimental conditions, and inconsistent materials, making it hard to draw reliable conclusions. The authors provide specific recommendations for more environmentally relevant experiments that could support meaningful regulations to protect soil ecosystems and food safety.
Soil contamination with micro- and nanoplastics: environmental risks, challenges, and consequences for agroecosystems and agriculture
This review examines the mechanisms, distribution pathways, and ecological consequences of micro- and nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils, detailing impacts on soil structure, biodiversity, food chains, and crop productivity.
Do Microplastics and Nanoplastics Pose Risks to Biota in Agricultural Ecosystems?
This review examines the growing presence of micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils, estimated at over 0.5 megatons annually. Researchers found that these particles can have varied effects on soil properties, microorganisms, invertebrates, and plants, depending on polymer type, additives, and exposure duration. The study highlights that agricultural soils serve as major reservoirs for plastic pollution and calls for standardized research methods and regulatory guidelines to address the risks to food web safety.
Unravelling the ecological ramifications of biodegradable microplastics in soil environment: A systematic review
Researchers reviewed 85 studies on biodegradable microplastics in soil, finding that when biodegradable plastics fail to fully break down they can disrupt soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial life in ways that depend heavily on concentration and plastic type. The review highlights that "biodegradable" plastics are not a simple fix for microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.
Analysis of Slow-Released Fertilisers as a Source of Microplastics
Analysis of slow-release fertilisers coated with polymer shells found that these products can release microplastics into agricultural soils as the coatings degrade. Two major manufacturers' products showed varying polymer compositions and differing abilities to adsorb soil contaminants, raising concerns about MP accumulation from fertiliser use.