Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in soils with different agricultural practices: Importance of sources with internal origin and environmental fate

Microplastic abundance and characteristics were examined in soils representing four agricultural practice types in Chinese farmland to evaluate the influence of land use on plastic particle accumulation. Microplastic concentrations and polymer types varied by agricultural practice, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation water source as key drivers of farmland soil contamination.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 282 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Typical Maize Farmland Soils With Long-Term Plastic Film Mulching in Northern China

A survey of 225 soil samples from maize farmland with long-term plastic film mulching in northern China found widespread microplastic contamination, with abundance, distribution, and polymer composition reflecting the history of film use and agricultural management practices.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Duration- and area-dependent influences of plastic film mulch on soil microplastics abundance

Researchers conducted a field campaign combined with remote sensing to investigate how the duration and coverage area of plastic film mulching affect microplastic abundance in agricultural soils in northern China's agro-pastoral ecotone, finding that microplastic concentrations ranged from 41.7 to 787.5 items per kilogram and positively correlated with mulching duration.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in soils from greenhouse and open-field cultivation using plastic mulch film

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in agricultural soils across three regions in China, comparing greenhouse and open-field cultivation that uses plastic mulch film. They found that microplastic abundance varied significantly by region and that the type of mulching practice accounted for over 34% of the variation in microplastic composition. The study provides important baseline data on how plastic film use in farming contributes to soil microplastic pollution.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct microplastic distributions in soils of different land-use types: A case study of Chinese farmlands

Microplastic distribution across six types of farmland land use was surveyed from soils in five Chinese provinces to determine how agricultural practices shape soil microplastic contamination. The study found that microplastic abundance varied significantly by land-use type, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation practices as key contributing factors.

2020 Environmental Pollution 278 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural plastic mulching as a source of microplastics in the terrestrial environment

Researchers analyzed 384 soil samples from 19 Chinese provinces and found that macroplastic fragments were concentrated in agricultural fields with plastic mulch film use, providing large-scale field evidence linking agricultural mulching to terrestrial plastic contamination.

2020 Environmental Pollution 1205 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and weathering characteristics of microplastics in paddy soils following long-term mulching: A field study in Southwest China

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in paddy soils following long-term plastic film mulching in Southwest China, finding that ten years of continuous mulching significantly increased filmy microplastic accumulation and that weathering altered the chemical properties of these particles.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soils: Extraction and characterization after different periods of polythene film mulching in an arid region

Researchers developed a new method to extract microplastics from agricultural soil and found that fields mulched with plastic film for 30 years had the highest microplastic concentrations, at 40 mg per kilogram of soil, with particle size decreasing as the years of mulching increased. The study highlights the long-term accumulation of microplastics in soils under continuous plastic film agriculture.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 256 citations
Article Tier 2

Status, characteristics, and ecological risks of microplastics in farmland surface soils cultivated with different crops across mainland China

Researchers conducted a nationwide survey of microplastics in farmland soils across mainland China, covering over 30 crop types in 109 cities. They found microplastics in all sampled soils, with concentrations varying by crop type, region, and farming practices such as plastic film mulching and irrigation methods. The study provides the most comprehensive picture to date of agricultural microplastic contamination in China and identifies the key farming practices that contribute most to soil pollution.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Residual Film in Soil Profile under Continuous Film Mulching

Eight years of continuous plastic mulch film use on Chinese farmland steadily increased the number of plastic fragments in soil, with smaller pieces migrating progressively deeper over time even as total plastic mass slowly declined. The finding that fragments accumulate below 10 cm — beyond the reach of most tillage — highlights how agricultural microplastic pollution can become entrenched and difficult to remediate.

2023 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence and distribution characteristics of microplastics in the agricultural soils of Shaanxi Province, in north-western China

Researchers surveyed microplastic abundance and polymer types in agricultural soils across multiple counties in Shaanxi Province, northwestern China, finding widespread contamination correlated with agricultural activity intensity and plastic mulch film use.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 459 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Accumulation in Agricultural Soils with Different Mulching Histories in Xinjiang, China

Researchers found that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils of Xinjiang, China increases significantly with mulching history, with fields mulched for over 20 years containing substantially more microplastics across all soil layers.

2023 Sustainability 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro- and micro-plastic accumulation in soils under different intensive farming systems: A case study in Quzhou county, the North China Plain

Soil samples from six farming systems in the North China Plain showed macroplastic abundances from 0.2 to 46.8 kg/ha and microplastic concentrations up to 3.7×10⁴ items/kg, with greenhouse and mulched vegetable fields showing the highest contamination.

2024 Environmental Pollution 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of plastic film mulching on microplastic in farmland soils in Guangdong province, China

Researchers surveyed farmland in Guangdong, China's largest economic province, to determine how much plastic mulch film contributes to soil microplastic pollution. They found that fields using plastic mulch had significantly higher microplastic levels than those without, and the contamination correlated with years of mulch use. The study helps clarify the direct agricultural contribution to soil microplastic pollution in regions with many overlapping pollution sources.

2023 Heliyon 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China

This review examines plastic pollution in Chinese farmland soils, finding that agricultural practices like mulch film use and sewage sludge application are major sources of both macro- and microplastics that accumulate over time.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Distinct soil microplastic distributions under various farmland-use types around Urumqi, China

Microplastic distribution was characterized in soils from greenhouse, crop field, and vegetable field land-use types around Urumqi in arid northwestern China. Greenhouse soils had the highest microplastic abundance, film-shaped particles dominated at 85.93%, and polyethylene was the most common polymer type across all land-use categories.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 60 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effects of agricultural land types on microplastic abundance: A nationwide meta-analysis in China

Meta-analysis of 321 observations across Chinese agricultural soils found that vegetable-growing soils had the highest microplastic contamination, followed by orchards, cropland, and grassland. Agricultural film mulch significantly increased soil microplastic levels, especially in orchards, while higher population density and economic activity correlated with increased contamination across all land types.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 citations
Article Tier 2

The characteristics and influencing factors of farmland soil microplastic in Hetao Irrigation District, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in farmland soil across a major grain-producing region in China, finding concentrations ranging from about 1,800 to over 86,000 particles per kilogram. Polyethylene film fragments from agricultural plastic mulch were the dominant type, and 90% of the particles were smaller than 180 micrometers. The study shows that farming practices are introducing large amounts of microplastics into the soil where food crops are grown, raising questions about potential transfer into the food supply.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 50 citations
Article Tier 2

[Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Farmland Soil in Guyuan].

Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in agricultural soils in Guyuan City, China, finding concentrations ranging from 186 to 1,286 particles per kg, with greenhouse farming soils containing 35–229% more microplastics than open fields and PE and PP being the dominant polymer types. The findings raise concern for food chain contamination and demonstrate that plastic mulch film use in facility agriculture significantly increases soil microplastic accumulation.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations