Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics trapped in soil aggregates of different land-use types: A case study of Loess Plateau terraces, China

Researchers measured microplastic abundance in soil aggregates from four land-use types on China's Loess Plateau, finding MPs trapped in aggregates across all land uses with farmland soils having the highest concentrations. Woodland soils had the lowest MP content and the most stable aggregate structure, suggesting land use substantially controls both MP accumulation and aggregate integrity.

2022 Environmental Pollution 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Cropping systems reshape the distribution and risks of microplastics in soil aggregates in a karst agricultural region

Researchers investigated how different cropping systems influence the distribution and ecological risks of microplastics within soil aggregates in a karst agricultural region. The study found that cropping system type reshaped microplastic abundance, morphology, and polymer composition across macro-, meso-, and micro-aggregate fractions, with implications for understanding microplastic persistence in fragile karst soils.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Impact of soil structure and texture on occurrence of microplastics in agricultural soils of karst areas

Researchers found that soil texture is the dominant factor influencing microplastic abundance in karst agricultural soils in China, with powdered-light clay soils harboring the highest contamination at nearly 3,000 particles per kilogram.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Particle Size Distribution and Depth to Bedrock of Chinese Cultivated Soils: Implications for Soil Classification and Management

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it characterises particle size distribution and depth to bedrock in Chinese agricultural soils to inform soil classification and land management.

2023 Agronomy 7 citations
Article Tier 2

[Abundances and Morphology Patterns of Microplastics Under Different Land Use Types on the Loess Plateau].

Researchers investigated the abundance and morphological patterns of microplastics across different land use types on the Loess Plateau in China, examining how agriculture, grassland, and other land uses shape microplastic accumulation in soils of this major agricultural production region.

2022 PubMed 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence and distributions characteristics of microplastics in soils of different land use patterns in Karst Plateau, Southwest China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across five different land use types in a karst mountainous region of southwest China. The study found that all soil types were polluted with microplastics, with garden land showing the highest average abundance at 4,200 particles per kilogram, and that land use patterns and crop types influenced the characteristics and concentrations of microplastic contamination.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of soil microplastic pollution and influencing factors based on environmental fragility theory

Researchers mapped microplastic pollution and influencing factors across different ecologically fragile karst zones in Guizhou Province, China, finding that land use, soil properties, and ecosystem fragility all affect microplastic distribution in these sensitive landscapes.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics influence organic carbon depletion in macroaggregates and soil structural stability in the Yanhe catchment

Researchers investigated how microplastics within soil aggregate fractions affect organic carbon retention and structural stability in the Yanhe catchment, finding that microplastics accelerate organic carbon depletion from macroaggregates and reduce soil structural stability. The results suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils may compound land-use-driven degradation of soil quality.

2025 International Soil and Water Conservation Research
Article Tier 2

Seasonal dynamics and typology of microplastic pollution in Huixian karst wetland groundwater: Implications for ecosystem health

Researchers tracked microplastic levels in groundwater beneath a karst wetland in China across seasons, finding contamination ranging from about 1 to 49 particles per liter. The unique cave-and-underground-river geology of karst regions allows microplastics to migrate from the surface into groundwater more easily than in other terrains, with agricultural runoff and domestic wastewater identified as the main pollution sources.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Disrupt Soil Aggregate Stability and Associated Nutrient Dynamics in Mulched Salt-Affected Agricultural Soils

Researchers investigated how microplastic accumulation affects soil aggregate stability and nutrient dynamics in salt-affected agricultural soils in northeastern China. They found that high microplastic abundance significantly disrupted soil structure, reducing large aggregates and creating nutrient imbalances, with the elevated salinity and low organic matter of these soils amplifying the damage. The study highlights the need for targeted strategies to mitigate microplastic contamination in salt-affected farmland where plastic mulch is heavily used.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 8 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

Peer Review #1 of "An investigation into the response of the soil ecological environment to tourist disturbance in Baligou (v0.1)"

This paper is not about microplastics; it is a peer review of a study examining how tourist activity affects soil quality (bulk density, pH, enzyme activity, heavy metals) in a Chinese wetland scenic area.

2023
Article Tier 2

Macro and microplastics in the soil: abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions under different land uses in an agricultural sub-basin

Researchers examined the abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions of macro- and microplastics in soils under different land uses within an agricultural sub-basin, assessing how land-use patterns influence plastic pollution distribution and potential interactions with the soil environment.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

The association of microplastics with water-stable aggregates formed under controlled conditions

Researchers compiled data from a controlled study examining the association between microplastics and water-stable soil aggregates, providing the underlying dataset for the linked publication on microplastic-aggregate interactions.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence and distribution characteristics in mulched agricultural soils of Guizhou province

Researchers surveyed agricultural soils in the karst landscape of Guizhou province, China, to assess microplastic contamination from plastic mulch farming. They found microplastics were widespread, with fibers and fragments being the most common types, and that contamination levels varied with mulching history and soil characteristics. The study underscores how plastic mulch used in agriculture is a significant source of soil pollution in regions with unique geological features.

2024 Scientific Reports 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of microplastics in soil of Loess Plateau in northwest China and their relationship with land use type

Researchers measured microplastic levels across different land use types on China's Loess Plateau and found an average abundance of nearly 3,000 particles per kilogram of soil. Construction land and cultivated areas had the highest concentrations, while grassland and woodland had lower levels. The study demonstrates that human land use patterns directly influence how much microplastic accumulates in soil across this important agricultural region.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 33 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

The association of microplastics with water-stable aggregates formed under controlled conditions

Researchers compiled data examining how microplastics associate with water-stable soil aggregates formed under controlled laboratory conditions, providing a dataset supporting the linked publication on microplastic-soil aggregate interactions.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Determinants of environmental changes in human-modified ecosystems: Effects of plastics on moisture gradients, nutrients, and clay properties

Researchers examined how plastic pollution affects soil properties in human-modified ecosystems through field experiments in China and Rwanda, combined with laboratory tests on clay mixed with PET microplastics. They found that microplastics altered the structural properties of natural clay, decreasing moisture content while increasing density and load-bearing capacity. The study suggests that plastic accumulation in soils can fundamentally change moisture gradients, nutrient availability, and physical soil characteristics.

2024 Heliyon 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Dataset and SI of a scheme for describing the dry soil aggregate stability influenced by microplastics.

This dataset and supplementary information accompany a study developing a scheme for describing how microplastics influence dry soil aggregate stability. The materials support reproducibility of the analytical framework presented in the associated publication.

2025 Mendeley Data
Article Tier 2

Dataset and SI of a scheme for describing the dry soil aggregate stability influenced by microplastics.

This dataset and supplementary information accompany a study developing a scheme for describing how microplastics influence dry soil aggregate stability. The materials support reproducibility of the analytical framework presented in the associated publication.

2025 Mendeley Data
Article Tier 2

Effects of land use and landscape on the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in soil, China

Researchers investigated how land use patterns affect microplastic contamination in soils across different agricultural, orchard, grassland, and woodland areas in Yunnan Province, China. Agricultural lands, especially those with greenhouses and traditional farming, had significantly higher microplastic levels than grasslands and woodlands, with fragments being the dominant shape. The study suggests that farming practices, including plastic mulch use and fertilizer application, are major contributors to soil microplastic pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of land-use patterns on soil microplastics: Distribution characteristics and driving factors in southern China’s Pearl River Delta

A study across different land-use types in China's Pearl River Delta found that agricultural land had higher soil microplastic concentrations than urban or forested areas, with land-use history and plastic mulch film use as the dominant factors controlling MP distribution and polymer composition.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence patterns and ecological implications of microplastic contamination in citrus orchard soils on Karst Sloping Terrains, South China

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in citrus orchard soils on karst terrain in South China and found an average concentration of 3,160 particles per kilogram, with levels increasing over years of cultivation. The microplastics had significant effects on soil microbial community structure and function, influencing both bacterial energy-sourcing and fungal nutritional strategies. The findings highlight the ecological risks of plastic accumulation in agriculturally important yet environmentally sensitive karst landscapes.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations