We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to A neglected transport of plastic debris to cities from farmland in remote arid regions
ClearMicroplastics in agricultural soils from a semi-arid region and their transport by wind erosion
Researchers found microplastics heterogeneously distributed in agricultural soils from semi-arid Iran, with plastic-mulched and wastewater-irrigated fields both contaminated, and demonstrated that wind erosion can transport microplastics from soil surfaces to new locations.
Sandstorms contribute to the atmospheric microplastic pollution: Transport and accumulation from degraded lands to a megacity
Researchers studied how sandstorms transport microplastics from degraded lands to a major city and found surprisingly high deposition rates during storm events. They traced the transport pathways and discovered that sandstorms can carry microplastics hundreds of kilometers, significantly increasing urban atmospheric microplastic levels. The study reveals that degraded and arid landscapes serve as important but overlooked sources of airborne microplastic pollution.
Wind erosion induced low-density microplastics migration at landscape scale in a semi-arid region of northern China
Researchers sampled agricultural fields with plastic film mulching and adjacent downwind grasslands in a semi-arid region of northern China, finding that wind erosion transported low-density microplastic fragments at landscape scale from agricultural sources into natural grassland ecosystems.
Quantification of wind-driven MP mobilisation potential in semi-arid regions in Kazakhstan using wind tunnel experiments
Researchers used wind tunnel experiments to quantify wind-driven microplastic mobilisation potential in the semi-arid steppe landscape of northeastern Kazakhstan, finding that the loess soils, flat terrain, and erosive climate create conditions for significant aeolian MP emission particularly as modern agricultural intensification increases plastic inputs.
Wind erosion as a driver for transport of light density microplastics
Researchers investigated wind erosion as a transport mechanism for microplastics across different land uses in Iran and found that wind-eroded sediments contained significant quantities of light-density microplastic particles. Agricultural and barren lands showed higher microplastic concentrations in wind-eroded material. The study identifies wind as an important but overlooked pathway for spreading microplastic contamination across landscapes.
Resuspension of microplastic particles from arid regions and global impacts on atmospheric concentrations and deposition
Researchers modeled how microplastics from arid and semi-arid regions are resuspended by wind and transported globally through the atmosphere. The simulations showed that desert regions can be significant secondary sources of airborne microplastic particles, contributing to plastic deposition even in remote ecosystems far from human activity.
Are we underestimating microplastic emissions from agricultural soils?
This review examines evidence that wind erosion from agricultural soils in drylands is a significant and underestimated source of atmospheric microplastic emissions. The authors argue that existing emission inventories focus too heavily on urban and aquatic sources, and that dryland agricultural soils—covering 40% of Earth's land surface—likely emit substantial quantities of plastic particles through wind erosion.
Microplastic in an Arid Region: Identification, Quantification and Characterization on and Alongside Roads in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in road dust, roadside soils, and stormwater runoff in Al Ain City, Abu Dhabi, identifying tire wear material, fibers, and degraded plastic bag and bottle fragments as dominant particle types and finding that Aeolian (wind-driven) transport is likely more important than water transport in this arid region.
Atmospheric Microplastics Emission Source Potentials and Deposition Patterns in Semi‐Arid Croplands of Northern China
Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic emissions from croplands in semi-arid northern China, where wind erosion events are common. They found that fiber-shaped particles dominated airborne microplastics and that concentrations increased significantly when air masses passed over cropland surfaces. The study reveals that agricultural land in dry regions may be an underrecognized source of airborne microplastic pollution.
Spatiotemporal distribution and potential sources of atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment of Northwest China
Atmospheric microplastic deposition in a semiarid urban environment in northwest China ranged from 79.5 to 810.0 particles per square meter per day, with peak deposition in summer, fibres and fragments dominating, and source analysis pointing to local plastic products and waste as primary contributors.
Atmospheric Resuspension of Microplastics from Bare Soil Regions
Researchers developed a method to estimate how microplastics get lifted from bare soil into the atmosphere along with mineral dust, then modeled their global transport and deposition. They found that this soil-based resuspension is a meaningful source of atmospheric microplastics, with fiber-shaped particles traveling significantly farther than spherical ones. The study suggests that dust storms and wind erosion from agricultural and arid lands may be an underappreciated pathway for spreading microplastic contamination worldwide.
Atmospheric transport of microplastics during a dust storm
Researchers analyzed microplastics deposited during a dust storm in Shiraz, Iran, and found concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 1.06 particles per gram of dust. The study suggests that the majority of microplastics originated from distant desert sources rather than local urban areas, indicating that dust storms may be a significant mechanism for transporting and redistributing microplastics across arid regions.
Regional and climatic variations in atmospheric microplastic deposition: A study throughout Iran
Dry deposition of atmospheric microplastics was measured simultaneously across nine Iranian cities with different climates and populations over one week, finding deposition rates from 5 to over 100 particles/m²/day, with population density and wind conditions as key drivers.
Assessing the external atmospheric input of microplastics: Two strategies based on polymer composition and aging characteristics
Researchers compared microplastic pollution in dust from a sparsely populated area on the Mongolian Plateau and a densely populated city, using polymer composition and aging characteristics to distinguish locally generated microplastics from those transported externally via long-distance atmospheric transport.
Microplastic abundance and distribution in a Central Asian desert
Microplastics were found in desert sediments of Central Asia at concentrations similar to levels reported in some ocean surface samples, with fibers dominating and their deposition attributed to wind-driven atmospheric transport, establishing that even arid, sparsely populated deserts are not immune to global microplastic dispersal.
Soil susceptibility to wind erosion drives the abundance of microplastics in remote Scottish soils
Researchers found that microplastic concentrations in remote Scottish soils correlated strongly with local wind erosion patterns rather than proximity to human activity. The findings suggest that wind-driven soil movement is a key mechanism spreading plastic pollution to isolated landscapes far from pollution sources.
Microplastic transport during desertification in drylands: Abundance and characterization of soil microplastics in the Amu Darya-Aral Sea basin, Central Asia
Researchers surveyed microplastic pollution across a 1,000-kilometer stretch of dryland desert soils in Central Asia, from the Amu Darya River to the Aral Sea basin. They found microplastics at every sampling location, with 24 different polymer types identified and concentrations varying widely depending on land use and proximity to human activity. The study suggests that desertification processes may help transport and redistribute microplastics across large arid landscapes.
Entrainment and horizontal atmospheric transport of microplastics from soil
Researchers investigated the mechanisms by which microplastics become entrained from soil into the atmosphere, finding that wind-driven processes can transport plastic particles horizontally near the ground surface, establishing agricultural soils as a significant source of airborne microplastics.
Assessing microplastic contamination in Icelandic soils: Insights from pristine, agricultural, and urban environments
Researchers analyzed microplastic accumulation in pristine and remote soils in Iceland to test whether long-range atmospheric transport deposits microplastics in undisturbed environments. Microplastics were detected in Icelandic soils, confirming that atmospheric deposition reaches isolated environments far from plastic sources.
Importance of atmospheric transport for microplastics deposited in remote areas
This study highlights atmospheric transport as a significant and underappreciated pathway for depositing micro- and nanoplastics in remote areas including mountain regions and polar zones far from plastic sources. Airborne plastic particles can travel thousands of kilometers before being deposited, explaining the presence of microplastics in seemingly pristine remote environments.