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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastic contamination in soils of urban allotment gardens (Toruń, Poland)
ClearCollecting Microplastics in Gardens: Case Study (i) of Soil
Researchers found microplastic particles in garden soil, identifying plastic bubble wrap mixed into mulch and plastic landscape fabric as sources. This case study highlights that gardens — a common part of residential environments — can accumulate microplastics from everyday gardening materials. Since people grow food in gardens and children play in garden soil, this represents a potential route for microplastic exposure in residential settings.
Microplastic Pollution in EU Farmland Soils: Preliminary Findings from Agricultural Soils (Southwestern Poland)
Researchers conducted the first study of microplastic pollution in agricultural soils in southwestern Poland, finding that 93% of cultivated soil samples contained microplastics. Clay and loamy soils contained the highest concentrations, and soils amended with sewage sludge or compost had the most contamination, reaching over 4,000 particles per kilogram. The study suggests that common agricultural practices such as biosolid application are significant pathways for microplastic accumulation in European farmland.
Environmental factors influence airborne microplastic deposition in the soil of urban allotment gardens
Researchers measured microplastic contamination at three depths in urban garden soils in Berlin, Germany, finding that fibers were the most common type and concentrations were highest at the surface. Precipitation and fine particulate matter in the air increased microplastic deposition, raising concerns for urban food gardens since these plastics could potentially transfer from contaminated soil into home-grown produce.
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.
Novel insights related to soil microplastic abundance and vegetable microplastic contamination
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in farmland soils and the vegetables grown in them, finding that polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common plastic types in soil. Chinese cabbage had the highest vegetable contamination levels, and there was a moderate correlation between soil and vegetable microplastic concentrations. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastics in agricultural soil can transfer into the food crops people eat.
Role of microplastics in microbial community structure and functions in urban soils
Researchers analyzed 42 soil samples from seven types of urban areas and found that microplastics in city soil significantly alter the makeup and activity of microbial communities. Higher microplastic levels were linked to changes in bacteria involved in nutrient cycling and organic matter breakdown. This matters because healthy soil microbes are essential for urban green spaces, food gardens, and ultimately the quality of produce grown in city environments.
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.
Amount, distribution and composition of large microplastics in typical agricultural soils in Northern Germany
Researchers surveyed agricultural soils in Northern Germany for large microplastics and found contamination across all sampled fields, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common polymer types. Concentrations varied widely depending on farming practices, with fields receiving compost and sewage sludge showing higher contamination levels. The study provides important baseline data on microplastic pollution in European agricultural soils and identifies fertilization practices as a key contamination pathway.
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.
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.
A case on source to soil to solutions: Distribution characteristics of microplastics in farmland soil of the largest vegetable base in Northwest China
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in farmland soil at the largest vegetable growing region in northwest China, finding an average of nearly 2,000 particles per kilogram of soil. Greenhouse-farmed soil had more microplastics than open-field soil, and contamination increased with years of farming, with plastic mulch film, irrigation water, and fertilizer all contributing to the pollution. While current levels were assessed as low ecological risk, the steady accumulation over time raises concerns about long-term food safety in intensively farmed regions.
Microplastic contamination of organic fertilisers applied to agricultural soils
This study examined microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers applied to agricultural soils, finding plastic particles in multiple fertilizer types. Organic fertilizers derived from sewage sludge or compost can introduce microplastics into farmland, potentially contaminating crops and groundwater.
Spatial distribution of microplastics in Mollisols of the farmland in Northeast China: the role of field management and plastic sources
Researchers investigated how farmland management practices affect the distribution of microplastics in vegetable fields in Northeast China. They found seven types of plastic polymers in soil layers down to 30 centimeters, with larger macroplastic fragments being the primary source of microplastic contamination. Higher fertilization doses contributed more to microplastic generation than tillage frequency.
Microplastic pollution in soil: a case-study from the Raffaele Viviani public park in Naples, Italy
This field study characterized microplastic contamination in soil samples from a public park in Naples, Italy, finding diverse polymer types at concentrations indicating that urban green spaces accumulate significant microplastic loads from atmospheric deposition and visitor activity.
Microplastics as contaminants in the soil environment: A mini-review
This mini-review examines microplastic contamination in soil environments, an area that has received far less attention than marine pollution. Researchers found that agricultural practices like plastic mulch use and sewage sludge application are major sources of soil microplastics. The study highlights that soil microplastics can harm plant growth, alter soil organisms, and potentially enter the food chain through crop uptake.
Distribution of Microplastics in an Urban Soil:The Case of a Medium-Sized Cityin the Central Valley of Chile
Researchers systematically sampled soils across an entire Chilean city and found microplastics at 95% of sampling sites, with plastic fibers making up 68% of the particles detected. The near-universal contamination signals that urban soils are a widespread and underappreciated reservoir of microplastic pollution.
Microplastics abundance associated with farmland use types and the impact on soil microbial communities: A case study in Southern China
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across orchard, paddy field, and vegetable field soils in Southern China and analyzed how it affected soil microbial communities. They found microplastic levels ranging widely across sites, with very small particles under 30 micrometers being most common, and identified 32 different polymer types. The study shows that farmland use type and agricultural practices like plastic mulching significantly influence both the amount and type of microplastic contamination in soils.
Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: A Case Study in Cultivation of Watermelons and Canning Tomatoes
Researchers collected soil samples from fields used for watermelon and tomato cultivation for over 10 years in Greece to assess microplastic contamination. They found that all microplastics originated from the black agricultural mulch film used in these crops, with watermelon fields containing over four times more microplastics than tomato fields due to different mulching practices. The study demonstrates that long-term agricultural plastic use is a significant source of soil microplastic pollution.
Prevalence of microplastics in agricultural soils in southern Portugal
Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from southern Portugal, collecting samples across four land-use areas with different farming practices and characterizing polymer types and their associations with agricultural history in a Mediterranean system.
Prevalence of microplastics in agricultural soils in southern Portugal
Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from southern Portugal, collecting samples across four land-use areas with different farming practices and characterizing polymer types and their associations with agricultural history in a Mediterranean system.
Quantification and Analysis of Microplastics in Farmland Soils: Characterization, Sources, and Pathways
This study quantified and characterized microplastics in farmland soils from multiple sites, identifying agricultural mulch films, irrigation water, and compost as major sources and documenting widespread soil contamination across different farming regions.
Microplastic and mesoplastic pollution in farmland soils in suburbs of Shanghai, China
Vegetable farmland soils from 20 sites in Shanghai suburbs were analyzed for micro- and mesoplastics, finding microplastic concentrations of 78 items/kg in shallow (0–3 cm) and 62.5 items/kg in deep (3–6 cm) soils, and identifying PE and PP as dominant polymers. The study documents microplastic contamination in peri-urban farmland soils surrounding one of China's most densely populated cities.
Microplastics in Urban Soils From Different Land Use Activities of Cyberjaya (Malaysia): Exploring Occurrence, Relationships, Sources and Pollution Level
Researchers surveyed urban soils across five different land uses in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, and found microplastics in all of them, with construction areas showing the highest concentrations. The types of plastic particles varied by location, suggesting that the sources and characteristics of soil microplastic contamination depend on what activities take place in that area.
Unveiling the abundance and potential impacts of microplastic contamination in commercial organic fertilizers/compost produced from different solid waste
Researchers analyzed commercial organic fertilizers made from different waste sources and found microplastics in 80% of the samples, with compost from mixed municipal waste containing the highest levels. The estimated amounts of microplastics being introduced into agricultural soils through these fertilizers exceeded previous reports. The study highlights the need for stricter regulations on organic fertilizer quality to prevent microplastic contamination of farmland.