Papers

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Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in the soil mulched by dust-proof nets: A case study in Beijing, China

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in soils covered by dust-proof nets used on construction sites in Beijing, China. They found that the nets themselves were a source of microplastic contamination, with fiber-type particles being the most abundant in the underlying soil. The study identifies construction site dust-control measures as a previously overlooked source of microplastic pollution in urban soils.

2021 Environmental Pollution 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic release from geofabrics used in erosion control at construction sites

Construction sites using polyester geofabric for erosion control were found to shed an estimated 1.7 million PET microplastic fibers per rain event into nearby waterways, even when stormwater management systems captured more than 90% of particles. The study demonstrates that geofabrics — a largely overlooked source — can be a substantial contributor to urban microplastic pollution, and that existing best management practices are insufficient to prevent millions of fibers from reaching aquatic environments during each major rainfall.

2026 Next research.
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

Microplastic pollution from protective measures in urban construction should not be overlooked: A case study in Changzhou, China

Researchers found that dust-proof netting used in urban construction sites in Changzhou, China, is a significant source of soil microplastics, with covered soil containing 3.2 times more microplastics (mean 4,140.7 items/kg) than adjacent uncovered soil. Raman spectroscopy confirmed polyethylene as the dominant polymer, directly linking the netting material to soil contamination in rapidly urbanizing areas.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
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

The Source, Distribution Characteristics,and Migration Behavior of Microplastic Pollutionin Soil Environment in China: A Review

Researchers reviewed how microplastics enter Chinese soils — mainly through plastic mulch films, sewage irrigation, and fertilizer application — and how they migrate through soil layers while carrying other pollutants with them. The review highlights that China's intensive agricultural practices make its soils among the most microplastic-contaminated on Earth, with implications for food safety and groundwater quality.

2024 Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in the soils of various land-use types along Sheshui River basin of Central China

Soils from four land-use types along a Chinese river basin were found to contain microplastics at all sites, with plastic greenhouse soils showing the highest concentrations, and fiber shapes dominating across land uses, reflecting widespread agricultural plastic use as a primary source.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 56 citations
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

Estimation of soil microplastic input derived from plastic gauze using a simplified model

Researchers developed a simplified estimation model combining remote sensing with field data to quantify microplastic input into soils from degrading plastic gauze used in haze prevention and agriculture in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Current research and perspective of microplastics (MPs) in soils (dusts), rivers (lakes), and marine environments in China

This review synthesized a decade of Chinese research on microplastic concentrations in soils, rivers, lakes, and marine environments, finding that coastal and urban areas are most contaminated and that freshwater environments are understudied compared to marine ones. China, as the world's largest plastic producer, faces significant microplastic pollution challenges requiring systematic monitoring across all environmental compartments.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport and fate of microplastics from riverine sediment dredge piles: Implications for disposal

Analysis of dredged river sediment piles in southeast China found high MP concentrations (6,060–37,610 items/kg), and monitoring of surrounding soils and surface waters showed that dredging and stockpiling remobilized these MPs into adjacent agricultural land and waterways — a previously unrecognized dispersal pathway.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 74 citations
Article Tier 2

The synchronized dynamic release behavior of microplastics during farmland soil erosion process

Field and laboratory experiments on farmland soil in coastal China showed that roughly half of the microplastics present in agricultural soil can be mobilized and released into water bodies during erosion events. The dynamic release pattern — an initial decrease followed by a sharp increase — is driven by competition between particle adsorption, sedimentation, and resuspension, highlighting that controlling soil erosion is a critical and underappreciated lever for preventing microplastic contamination of rivers and coastal waters.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 3 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

Microplastics in agricultural soils in China: Sources, impacts and solutions

This review examines microplastic contamination in Chinese agricultural soils, finding abundances ranging from about 5 to over 40,000 items per kilogram depending on location. The study identifies plastic mulching films as the most significant source, followed by abandoned greenhouses and organic fertilizers, and recommends sustainable agronomic practices to reduce soil microplastic pollution.

2023 Environmental Pollution 148 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the unintended contribution of soil erosion research to microplastic contamination

Researchers raised an overlooked problem: the plastic equipment and containers routinely used in soil erosion research inadvertently shed microplastics into the very samples being studied, contaminating data and the environment around test plots. They call for researchers to revisit their methods and minimize plastic use during sampling, transport, and lab analysis to get cleaner results.

2024 Results in Earth Sciences 1 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

Analysis of the generation of plastic debris and microplastics from geosynthetics

This paper critically analyzes claims linking geosynthetic materials to microplastic generation, arguing that the environmental benefits of geosynthetics — such as preventing erosion and improving waste containment — far outweigh the minimal plastic debris they produce compared to alternative materials. The work is relevant to microplastic research by quantifying geosynthetics as a relatively minor source compared to other plastic pathways.

2023
Article Tier 2

[Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Soil in Danjiangkou Reservoir Area of South-to-North Water Diversion Project].

This study characterized microplastic occurrence in four types of agricultural soil in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area of China — a critical water source for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Orchard soils had higher microplastic concentrations than paddy or dryland soils, driven by plastic mulch use and irrigation. Microplastic contamination of this major water supply raises concerns about downstream drinking water quality for millions of people.

2023 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Contribution of mulch film to microplastics in agricultural soil and surface water in China

Researchers developed a framework to quantify how much agricultural mulch film contributes to microplastic contamination in farmland soil and surface water in China, measuring the ratio of mulch-derived particles to total microplastics from all sources.

2021 Environmental Pollution 119 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

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

This study provides the first comprehensive survey of plastic pollution in Chinese farmland soil, analyzing data from 163 publications covering 728 sites. The average microplastic abundance was 4,537 particles per kilogram of dry soil, with agricultural plastic films and organic waste being the biggest sources. Since China is the world's largest user of agricultural plastics, these findings highlight how farming practices can lead to significant microplastic contamination of the soil that grows our food.

2023 Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 162 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence characteristics, source analysis, and risk assessment of microplastics in agricultural soils: A case study on Shihezi Reclamation Area, Xinjiang, China

Microplastic occurrence was characterized in agricultural soils of the Shihezi Reclamation Area, Xinjiang — a region with decades of plastic film mulching — finding high-density PE and PP fragments as dominant types, with mulch film degradation as the primary source.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in coastal plain soils under three land-use types

Microplastic abundance and polymer composition were characterized in farmland, plantation, and orchard/secondary forest soils from 33 sites on the east China coastal plain. Farmland soils had significantly higher microplastic abundances than forest soils, with agricultural plastic mulching identified as the primary source of the dominant polyethylene film fragments.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

[Distribution and Sources of Microplastics in Farmland Soil Along the Fenhe River].

This study investigated the distribution and sources of microplastics in farmland soil along the Fenhe River in China, finding widespread contamination from agricultural plastic films and other sources. The results highlight how agricultural plastic use contributes directly to microplastic buildup in food-producing soils.

2021 PubMed 9 citations