Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Identification, characterization, and implications of microplastics in soil – A case study of Bhopal, central India

Researchers identified and characterized microplastics in soils from Bhopal, central India, documenting their occurrence, distribution, and polymer composition to assess the extent of soil contamination from poor plastic waste management practices.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soils: Evidence from an industrial suburb of Bangladesh

Researchers sampled agricultural soils from the surface and subsurface layers at an industrial suburb of Bangladesh, finding microplastic abundances of 1,309 items/kg in surface soils with significant correlations to soil pH, electrical conductivity, and organic matter content.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in the soil from Urban Landfill site, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in soil samples from an urban landfill site in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They found microplastics in all samples, predominantly fibers and fragments made of polyethylene and polypropylene, with concentrations varying across the landfill. The study provides some of the first evidence of terrestrial microplastic pollution in Bangladesh and identifies urban landfills as significant reservoirs of soil microplastic contamination.

2020 Heliyon 142 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation on Microplastics in Soil near Landfills in the Republic of Korea

Researchers found microplastics in soil samples taken near two South Korean landfills, averaging 73–98 particles per kilogram, with polypropylene and polyethylene being the dominant types and fragments being the most common shape. The high proportion of secondary (weathered) microplastics indicates that fragmentation of larger plastic waste is actively occurring at these sites. These findings confirm that landfills are a significant local source of microplastic soil contamination and warrant inclusion in national monitoring programs.

2023 Sustainability 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in landfill soil: Emerging threats the environmental and public health

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in soil at a landfill near residential areas in Indonesia and found extremely high levels of over 60,000 particles per kilogram. The most common types were fragments of polyethylene, PVC, polystyrene, and polypropylene. The study raises public health concerns because landfills near populated areas can release microplastics into surrounding soil and water, creating exposure pathways for nearby communities.

2024 Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic migration from landfill-mined soil through earth filling operations and ecological risk assessment: a case study in New Delhi, India

Researchers analyzed soil-like material mined from three aged landfill sites in New Delhi, India, and found microplastic concentrations ranging from about 26,000 to 41,000 particles per kilogram. Fibers and fragments were the dominant shapes, with 60% of particles smaller than 425 micrometers, and polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common polymers. The findings raise concerns about reusing landfill-mined material for earth-filling projects, as it could spread microplastic contamination to new areas.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 13 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution and characteristics of Microplastics in leachate and underneath soil of two informal landfills

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in leachate and underlying soils at two informal landfill sites. They found high concentrations of microplastics in both leachate and soil samples, with abundance varying by depth and landfill characteristics. The study indicates that informal landfills are significant sources of microplastic contamination that can leach into surrounding soil and potentially reach groundwater.

2025 Waste Management 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Urban Microplastic Pollution Revealed by a Large-Scale Wetland Soil Survey

Researchers conducted a large-scale survey of wetland soils across an urban area and found an average of 379 microplastic particles per kilogram, with abundance closely linked to proximity to the city's economic center. Polypropylene was the most common polymer type, and fiber and fragment shapes dominated the samples. The study found that atmospheric particle pollution and heavy metal concentrations in soil were strongly correlated with microplastic levels, suggesting shared urban pollution sources.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Their Distribution in Soil at Municipal Solid Waste Landfills: A Review

This review investigated microplastic contamination across soil layers at urban municipal solid waste landfill sites, finding that landfill age and waste composition influence MP type and distribution. It identified landfill soils as understudied long-term MP reservoirs with potential for leaching into surrounding environments.

2024 Avicenna Journal of Environmental Health Engineering
Article Tier 2

Spatiotemporal distribution and ecological hazards of microplastic pollution in soil water resources around a wastewater treatment plant and municipal solid waste site

Researchers mapped the spatial and seasonal distribution of microplastics in soil, water, and sediment near a wastewater treatment plant and municipal landfill in northern India. They found elevated microplastic concentrations in leachate and areas immediately surrounding both facilities, with seasonal variations in contamination levels. The study highlights that both wastewater treatment plants and solid waste sites serve as significant local sources of microplastic pollution to surrounding environments.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the composition of bio-earth from landfill mining and microplastic pollution

Analysis of bio-earth — the organic soil-like material recovered from landfill mining — at a major Indian landfill found an average of 100,150 microplastic particles per kilogram, along with heavy metals and high electrical conductivity. The findings are significant because bio-earth from landfills is being considered and used as a soil amendment and fertilizer, meaning widespread application without treatment could introduce massive quantities of microplastics directly into agricultural soils.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Abundance and Characteristics in The Soil Around the Jambi Talang Gulo Landfill

Researchers measured microplastic abundance and characterized particle types in soil surrounding the Talang Gulo landfill in Jambi, Indonesia, finding that the high volume of plastic waste at the facility contributes to elevated microplastic contamination in surrounding soils through environmental weathering and fragmentation.

2024 Bumi
Article Tier 2

Overlooked yet critical pathways for microplastics input to soil and groundwater system: Transport mechanisms and simulation predictions in landfill environments

Researchers systematically investigated how microplastics travel through landfill soils into groundwater, examining the effects of particle density, size, polymer type, temperature, and salinity on transport. The study used column experiments and computational modeling to reveal that landfill conditions create overlooked but critical pathways for microplastic contamination of soil and groundwater systems.

2025 Water Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of land use and depth profile on the characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils

Researchers examined how land use and soil depth profile influence microplastic characteristics in agricultural soils, finding that wastewater and sludge application, plastic mulching, and atmospheric deposition are key sources, and that MP type and abundance vary with soil management practice and depth, highlighting the importance of vertical distribution in soil MP studies.

2025
Article Tier 2

Subsurface transport and environmental risks of microplastic pollution: influence of land use and seasonal variability

Researchers systematically investigated how microplastics move vertically through soil across five different land use types during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Dumpsites had the highest microplastic concentrations at nearly 40,000 particles per kilogram, while woodlands had the lowest at around 500 particles per kilogram. The study found that smaller microplastics traveled deeper into soil, especially after monsoon rains, and that land use type significantly influenced both the amount and composition of microplastic contamination.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Land Degradation and Development 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on soil microbiome: The impacts of polymer type, shape, and concentration

Researchers examined how different microplastic polymer types, shapes, and concentrations affected soil bacterial communities, finding that these physical characteristics induced distinct shifts in soil microbiome composition and diversity.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 215 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Residential Soils

Researchers collected surface soil from three residential density zones in Surabaya, Indonesia, and characterized microplastics by abundance, shape, color, and polymer type. Microplastics were present in all samples, with concentrations higher in denser residential areas, likely reflecting greater per-capita plastic use and outdoor plastic degradation.

2025 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
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

Microplastic Abundance and Characteristics in The Soil Around the Jambi Talang Gulo Landfill

Researchers measured microplastic abundance and characterized particle types in soil surrounding the Talang Gulo landfill in Jambi, Indonesia, finding elevated microplastic concentrations in areas adjacent to the high-volume waste disposal facility due to fragmentation of plastic debris under environmental weathering.

2024 Bumi
Article Tier 2

Spatial distribution of microplastics in soil with context to human activities: a case study from the urban center

Researchers mapped the spatial distribution of microplastics in topsoil across different land use types in an urbanized city in the upper Indus plain. They found that agricultural and urban areas had significantly higher microplastic concentrations than less developed areas, with fibers being the dominant particle type. The study links microplastic soil contamination patterns to specific human activities including irrigation with wastewater, plastic mulching, and industrial discharge.

2020 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soil around a solid waste treatment center in southeast China

Researchers found microplastic contamination in all agricultural soil samples surrounding a solid waste treatment center in southeastern China, with concentrations up to 2,360 particles per kilogram and evidence that weathered polyethylene and polypropylene particles are accumulating heavy metals on their surfaces.

2022 Journal of Soils and Sediments 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the abundance of microplastics in Indian landfill leachate: An analytical study

Researchers analyzed microplastics in leachate from two major landfills in India and found concentrations of 1,473 to 2,067 particles per liter, with most particles smaller than 100 micrometers. Polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, cellulose acetate, and PVC were the most common plastic types identified. Since landfill leachate can seep into groundwater and nearby water bodies, these findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination of drinking water sources near dump sites.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 17 citations