Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

GIS mapping of agricultural plastic waste in southern Europe

Researchers used geographic information systems to map the generation and distribution of agricultural plastic waste across four southern European countries: Italy, Spain, Greece, and Portugal. They quantified plastic waste from different farming systems at the regional level and identified hotspots where waste management infrastructure is most needed. The study provides a spatial framework that could help policymakers target plastic waste reduction strategies in agriculture.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Implementing a GIS-Based Digital Atlas of Agricultural Plastics to Reduce Their Environmental Footprint: Part II, an Inductive Approach

Researchers implemented a GIS-based digital atlas of agricultural plastics using an inductive approach, aiming to map and reduce the environmental footprint of plastic use in farming and address alarming levels of terrestrial plastic contamination.

2022 Applied Sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Time Series approach to map areas of Agricultural Plastic Waste generation

Researchers applied a time-series remote sensing approach to map the spatial distribution of agricultural plastic waste generation across extensive agricultural landscapes, using satellite imagery to detect plastic-mulched farmlands and other agri-plastics to address the lack of comprehensive plasticulture data needed for effective waste management and land-use policy.

2024 ISPRS annals of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences
Article Tier 2

Mapping of Agricultural Plastics Pollution in Soil: case study of Italy, France and Norway

Researchers developed an atlas quantifying and localizing agricultural plastic waste in Italy, France, and Norway, finding that plastic mulch films and other agricultural plastics accumulate in soils and generate microplastic contamination that varies significantly by crop type, climate, and waste management practices.

2025 CINECA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Bari Aldo Moro)
Article Tier 2

The potentiality of GIS for assessing soil pollution – A review

Not relevant to microplastics — this review examines how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be applied to assess and map soil pollution from heavy metals, pesticides, and other contaminants, with no substantive microplastics content.

2023 International Journal of Agricultural and Applied Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Large Scale Agricultural Plastic Mulch Detecting and Monitoring with Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data: A Case Study in Xinjiang, China

Satellite imagery was used to monitor plastic mulch film coverage across large agricultural areas in China, mapping both spatial extent and temporal changes. Accurately tracking plastic mulch use is important because agricultural film residues are a major source of microplastic contamination in farmland soils.

2019 Remote Sensing 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Software for evaluating the threat of plastic pollution to global agriculture

Researchers synthesized data on long-term plasticulture use to assess its impacts on crop productivity and greenhouse gas emissions, developing software tools to evaluate the compounding threat of macro- and microplastic accumulation in global agricultural soils on food and climate security.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Prospective Scenarios for Addressing the Agricultural Plastic Waste Issue: Results of a Territorial Analysis

A study on agricultural plastic waste assessed prospective management scenarios combining stakeholder input with life cycle analysis to identify sustainable pathways for reducing farm plastic pollution. Results highlighted the need for integrated approaches spanning plastic reduction, reuse, and improved collection systems.

2023 Applied Sciences 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro plastics mapping in the agricultural sector of Cyprus

Researchers mapped microplastic pollution across agricultural areas in Cyprus, identifying key hotspots and sources of contamination. They found that plastic mulch films, irrigation systems, and fertilizer applications were major contributors to microplastic accumulation in farmland soils. The study emphasizes the need for targeted policies to reduce plastic use in Mediterranean agriculture and protect both soil health and food safety.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Software for evaluating the threat of plastic pollution to global agriculture

Researchers developed software to assess the long-term impacts of plasticulture — plastic film use in agriculture — on crop productivity and greenhouse gas emissions, synthesizing evidence on how accumulated macro- and microplastics in farmland soils threaten food and climate security.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

New Workflow of Plastic-Mulched Farmland Mapping using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-2 data

Researchers used multi-temporal satellite imagery to map plastic-mulched farmland in China, providing a tool for monitoring the environmental risk of agricultural plastic use. Plastic mulch is a significant source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils when film residues break down over time.

2019 Remote Sensing 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental potential risk of microplastic pollution due to agricultural plastics: a case study in Apulia region

Researchers assessed the environmental risk of microplastic pollution from agricultural plastic waste in the Apulia region of Italy, examining how the breakdown of agricultural plastics at end-of-life contributes to soil and ecosystem contamination.

2025 CINECA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Bari Aldo Moro)
Article Tier 2

Identifying hot-spots for microplastic contamination in agricultural soils—a spatial modelling approach for Germany

A spatial model was developed to identify hotspots of microplastic contamination in German agricultural soils based on plastic use in farming, sewage sludge application rates, and atmospheric deposition estimates, predicting that certain intensively farmed regions accumulate substantially more plastic than previously estimated from limited field studies.

2021 Environmental Research Letters 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio-temporal dynamics of plastic mulch use in crop rotation at parcel and regional scales

Researchers used satellite data to track where and when farmers applied plastic mulch on agricultural fields in a European region from 2017 to 2021, finding that silage maize and asparagus fields most frequently used plastic mulch. Their analysis also revealed that 70% of maize plots used plastic mulch four or more years in a row, raising concerns about long-term plastic accumulation in agricultural soils.

2024 International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Large scale detection of plastic covered crops using multispectral and SAR satellite data

Researchers used satellite imagery combining optical and radar data to detect large-scale plastic covering of agricultural crops across wide geographic areas. The remote sensing approach could help monitor plasticulture practices and track the potential for plastic debris to enter nearby ecosystems.

2023
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution In Agricultural Lands And Its Environmental Impact Assessed Through Remote Sensing

Researchers combined field sampling and remote sensing to assess microplastic pollution in agricultural soils across three Indian locations, finding microplastics in both surface and subsurface layers and correlating pollution levels with land use patterns detectable by satellite imagery.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

From plasticulture to pollution: addressing disposal and recycling challenges in egyptian farming systems

Researchers surveyed 300 farmers across three Egyptian governorates to investigate how agricultural plastic film — including mulch and covers — is used and disposed of in Egyptian farming systems. The study identified widespread unsafe disposal practices and limited recyclability as major contributors to plastic pollution in agricultural landscapes.

2025 Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Agricultural Use and Disposal of Plastics in Malta

Researchers surveyed the use and disposal of agricultural plastics in Malta and found that the sector generates significant plastic waste with limited recycling infrastructure. Mulch films, greenhouse covers, and irrigation tubing were among the most common plastic products used, but many farmers lacked access to proper disposal channels. The study calls for better policies and waste collection systems to prevent agricultural plastics from contaminating farmland soils.

2024 Sustainability 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A Preliminary Study on the Utilization of Hyperspectral Imaging for the On-Soil Recognition of Plastic Waste Resulting from Agricultural Activities

Researchers explored the use of near-infrared hyperspectral imaging to detect and identify plastic waste in agricultural soils. They developed a classification model that could distinguish different types of plastic from soil and assess the degradation state of the material. The study demonstrates that hyperspectral imaging combined with chemometric analysis offers a rapid, non-destructive approach for monitoring plastic contamination in agricultural environments.

2023 Land 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic film residues on cropland: monitoring soil contamination through optical remote sensing

Researchers used optical remote sensing to monitor plastic film residues on agricultural cropland, demonstrating that satellite-based methods can detect surface plastic contamination across large areas. The study provides a scalable approach for tracking agricultural plastic residues — a major secondary microplastic source in soils — without the labor intensity of field sampling.

2025
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics in agricultural soils in southern Portugal

Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from southern Portugal, collecting samples across four land-use areas with different farming practices and characterizing polymer types and their associations with agricultural history in a Mediterranean system.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Plastic Debrisin Agroecosystems: Distribution andAbundance Patterns, and Relationship with Terrain Characteristicsin Southeastern Brazil

Researchers surveyed plastic debris across forest, grassland, and agricultural land in a Southeast Brazil sub-basin, finding that agricultural areas accounted for 91.2% of total plastic waste with polypropylene, polyethylene, and PVC comprising 82.6% of polymers detected. Distribution strongly correlated with terrain characteristics, particularly slope and vegetation cover.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Management of agricultural plastic waste in Portugal to prevent microplastics

This study assessed agricultural plastic waste management practices in Portugal and their role in generating soil micro- and nanoplastics. Poor management of plastic mulches and other agricultural films was identified as a significant and preventable source of persistent soil contamination.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Prevalence of microplastics in agricultural soils in southern Portugal

Researchers conducted the first survey of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from southern Portugal, collecting samples across four land-use areas with different farming practices and characterizing polymer types and their associations with agricultural history in a Mediterranean system.

2025 Figshare