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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Understanding the overland transport of microplastics from agricultural soils to freshwater systems
ClearQuantifying the movement of microplastics in soil in response to overland flow and splash erosion
Researchers quantified how overland flow and raindrop splash erosion mobilize and transport microplastics from soil surfaces. Both processes moved microplastic particles, with splash being particularly effective at short distances and overland flow dominating transport over larger areas. Understanding these erosion-driven transport processes is important for predicting how microplastics move from agricultural fields into streams and rivers.
Soil erosion as transport pathway of microplastic from agriculture soils to aquatic ecosystems
Researchers simulated heavy rainfall events on agricultural soils containing microplastics and tracked particle transport through runoff and erosion, finding that soil erosion is a significant pathway for moving agricultural microplastics into adjacent water bodies, with particle size and shape governing transport distance.
Processes controlling the transportation of microplastics in agricultural soils
Researchers investigated the physical processes controlling microplastic transport through agricultural soils, examining how soil structure, water flow, bioturbation, and particle properties interact to move microplastics from surface application sites deeper into the soil profile or laterally toward aquatic systems. The study addressed the dual role of agricultural soils as both sinks and potential sources of microplastic pollution to surrounding environments.
Occurrence and emission characteristics of microplastics in agricultural surface runoff under different natural rainfall and short-term fertilizer application
Researchers investigated how microplastics travel from agricultural fields into waterways through surface runoff during natural rainfall events. They found that fertilizer application and rainfall intensity significantly affected the amount and type of microplastics washed off farmland. The study highlights agricultural runoff as a major pathway for microplastic transfer from land to aquatic environments.
Model-based analysis of erosion-induced microplastic delivery from arable land to the stream network of a mesoscale catchment
Researchers applied a model-based analysis to quantify how erosion transports microplastics from agricultural land to the stream network of a mesoscale catchment, finding that surface runoff and soil erosion are significant pathways for microplastic delivery to inland waters.
Horizontal transport of macro- and microplastics on soil surface by rainfall induced surface runoff as affected by vegetations
Researchers investigated how rainfall-induced surface runoff transports macro- and microplastics across soil surfaces, finding that vegetation cover significantly reduces plastic transport while plastic size, density, and rainfall intensity also influence horizontal movement.
Catchment-scale mechanistic predictions of microplastic transport and distribution across land and water
Researchers developed the first catchment-scale model successfully predicting microplastic transport from land to water, validated against field data, revealing how soil accumulation, runoff dynamics, and in-stream transport interact to determine where microplastics concentrate before reaching the ocean.
Microplastic Transport by Overland Flow: Effects of Soil Texture and Slope Gradient Under Simulated Semi-Arid Conditions
Using rainfall simulation experiments across soils of varying texture and slope gradients, researchers studied how overland flow transports microplastics of different shapes and sizes, finding that soil texture and slope angle significantly influenced MP runoff distance and concentration.
Horizontal and vertical mobilisation of microplastics in agricultural soils: run-off and infiltration experiments
Researchers measured the horizontal runoff and vertical leaching of microplastics from agricultural mulching films in field plots, quantifying transport under simulated rainfall. Both transport pathways were significant, with particle size and soil properties influencing how far microplastics moved from their source.
Transport and Fate of Microplastics in Terrestrial Environments: The Role of Surface Runoff, Root-Mediated Infiltration, and Fragmentation-Driven Mobility
Researchers investigated the transport and fate of microplastics in terrestrial environments through three key processes -- surface runoff, root-mediated infiltration, and fragmentation-driven mobility -- applying classical sediment transport principles to microplastic movement. Field studies and laboratory experiments examined how particle characteristics such as density, size, and shape influence microplastic distribution across agricultural and natural landscapes.
Model-based analysis of erosion-induced microplastic delivery from arable land to the stream network of a mesoscale catchment
Researchers developed the first catchment-scale model estimating how much microplastic is transported from farmland soils into stream networks through soil erosion. The study found that erosion can be a significant pathway for moving microplastics from agricultural fields into rivers, with implications for downstream water quality.
Threshold migration conditions of (micro) plastics under the action of overland flow
This study investigated how plastic particles and films move across different surfaces — smooth, concrete, and soil — under simulated rainfall and surface runoff, finding that smaller size, steeper slopes, and faster water flow all increase plastic mobility from land into waterways. The results improve understanding of how terrestrial plastic pollution ultimately reaches aquatic ecosystems, an important but under-studied part of the microplastic pollution pathway.
Horizontal transport characteristics of microplastics under simulated hydrodynamic conditions
Researchers systematically investigated the horizontal transport of microplastics across soil surfaces under simulated hydrodynamic conditions using 1 µm polystyrene particles and quartz sand. The study identified surface runoff scouring as a key pathway by which microplastics are mobilized and distributed laterally through terrestrial environments.
Investigating the Environmental Fate and Pathways of Microplastics from Agricultural Catchments to Freshwater
This thesis investigated the environmental fate of microplastics from agricultural catchments to freshwater systems in the UK, examining pathways by which microplastics move from farm soils into rivers and streams.
Size/shape-dependent migration of microplastics in agricultural soil under simulative and natural rainfall
Researchers found that microplastic migration in agricultural soil under rainfall depends on particle size and shape, with smaller particles moving deeper and rainfall intensity significantly influencing vertical transport patterns in soil profiles.
Rainfall-induced microplastic fate and transport in unsaturated Dutch soils
This study simulated rainfall conditions to track how different types of microplastics move through Dutch soils, finding that sandy soils allowed significantly more microplastics to wash through than loamy soils. Heavier rainfall increased microplastic movement by up to 144% depending on the plastic type, with conventional polyethylene washing out most easily. The findings suggest that rain can carry microplastics from surface soil into groundwater, potentially contaminating drinking water sources.
The Transport of Microplastics from Soil in Response to Surface Runoff and Splash Erosion
Using high-frequency photography and fluorescent particles during rainfall simulations, researchers tracked how different types of microplastics move across soil surfaces in real time. All tested microplastic types moved faster than natural sand particles during rainfall, with surface runoff being the primary transport mechanism. The findings suggest that rain events can efficiently wash microplastics from agricultural and urban soils into nearby waterways.
Modelling land use influence on polymer-specific microplastics abundance and transportation from terrestrial to aquatic environments
Researchers developed a model to understand how land use patterns influence the abundance and transport of specific microplastic polymers from land into waterways. The study found that different land uses contribute distinct polymer types to the environment, providing evidence that targeted land management strategies could help reduce microplastic pollution in aquatic systems.
Rainfall-Induced Transport of Microplastics in Soils Depends on Soil Pore Structure
Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles move through real soil when it rains, finding that the soil's natural pore structure (like tiny tunnels and holes) determines how deep and fast the plastics travel. This research helps us better understand how microplastics spread through farmland soil, which is important because these plastics could eventually end up in our food and water supply. Understanding this movement is a key step toward predicting long-term health risks from microplastic contamination.
Microplastics transport in soils: A critical review
Researchers reviewed how microplastics move through soil, finding that their transport depends on a complex mix of particle properties, soil chemistry, water flow, and biological activity — and that these factors often interact in ways that produce contradictory results across studies. The review maps these knowledge gaps and calls for more controlled experiments to predict where microplastics accumulate and how they might reach groundwater or crops.
Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: Evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities
This review evaluates the current understanding of microplastic pollution in freshwater and terrestrial environments, which have received far less research attention than marine systems despite being major sources and accumulation zones. Researchers highlight that agricultural areas, urban centers, and wastewater treatment processes are key pathways for microplastic contamination on land. The paper identifies critical knowledge gaps and calls for more research into how microplastics behave and persist in soils and freshwater systems.
Horizontal and vertical mobilisation of microplastics in agricultural soils: run-off and infiltration experiments
Researchers studied the horizontal and vertical movement of microplastics from agricultural mulch films in soil, examining runoff and leaching as transport pathways. The study found that microplastics from mulch films migrate both downward into the soil profile and laterally via surface runoff.
Microplastic polymer type impacts water infiltration and its own transport in soil
Researchers conducted laboratory soil column experiments to examine how microplastic polymer type affects both water infiltration rates and the transport of the plastic particles themselves through soil, testing the two most commonly used agricultural microplastic types under controlled hydrological conditions. The study found that polymer type significantly influenced both water flow dynamics and microplastic mobility in soil, with important implications for predicting plastic fate in agricultural and natural terrestrial ecosystems.
Reply on RC1
This study provides the first estimates of how much microplastic is delivered from agricultural soils to freshwater systems through surface runoff and erosion. Soil erosion events can mobilize accumulated microplastics from farmland into rivers, representing a significant and previously underestimated transport pathway.