Papers

61,005 results
|
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

Impact of plastic film mulching on microplastic in farmland soils in Guangdong province, China

Researchers surveyed farmland in Guangdong, China's largest economic province, to determine how much plastic mulch film contributes to soil microplastic pollution. They found that fields using plastic mulch had significantly higher microplastic levels than those without, and the contamination correlated with years of mulch use. The study helps clarify the direct agricultural contribution to soil microplastic pollution in regions with many overlapping pollution sources.

2023 Heliyon 55 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

Microplastics in agricultural soils on the coastal plain of Hangzhou Bay, east China: Multiple sources other than plastic mulching film

Researchers analyzed agricultural soils from the Hangzhou Bay coastal plain and found microplastic concentrations of 571 pieces/kg in mulched soils versus 263 pieces/kg in non-mulched soils, with irrigation water identified as an additional major source alongside mulch films. The findings point to multiple input pathways for microplastic accumulation in Chinese farmland soils.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 682 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in soils from greenhouse and open-field cultivation using plastic mulch film

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in agricultural soils across three regions in China, comparing greenhouse and open-field cultivation that uses plastic mulch film. They found that microplastic abundance varied significantly by region and that the type of mulching practice accounted for over 34% of the variation in microplastic composition. The study provides important baseline data on how plastic film use in farming contributes to soil microplastic pollution.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Duration- and area-dependent influences of plastic film mulch on soil microplastics abundance

Researchers conducted a field campaign combined with remote sensing to investigate how the duration and coverage area of plastic film mulching affect microplastic abundance in agricultural soils in northern China's agro-pastoral ecotone, finding that microplastic concentrations ranged from 41.7 to 787.5 items per kilogram and positively correlated with mulching duration.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Typical Maize Farmland Soils With Long-Term Plastic Film Mulching in Northern China

A survey of 225 soil samples from maize farmland with long-term plastic film mulching in northern China found widespread microplastic contamination, with abundance, distribution, and polymer composition reflecting the history of film use and agricultural management practices.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 76 citations
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
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effects of agricultural land types on microplastic abundance: A nationwide meta-analysis in China

Meta-analysis of 321 observations across Chinese agricultural soils found that vegetable-growing soils had the highest microplastic contamination, followed by orchards, cropland, and grassland. Agricultural film mulch significantly increased soil microplastic levels, especially in orchards, while higher population density and economic activity correlated with increased contamination across all land types.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 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

The abundance, characteristics and distribution of microplastics (MPs) in farmland soil—Based on research in China

This review analyzed microplastic contamination in farmland soil across China and found that fertilizer use and plastic mulch film are the biggest contributors, increasing soil microplastic levels by 170% and 232% respectively. The most common types found were polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and fibers. These findings are concerning because microplastics in farm soil can be taken up by crops and enter the human food supply.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 92 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

Quantification and Analysis of Microplastics in Farmland Soils: Characterization, Sources, and Pathways

This study quantified and characterized microplastics in farmland soils from multiple sites, identifying agricultural mulch films, irrigation water, and compost as major sources and documenting widespread soil contamination across different farming regions.

2021 Agriculture 99 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
Article Tier 2

Occurrence of Microplastics from Plastic Fragments in Cultivated Soil of Sichuan Province: The Key Controls

Researchers surveyed plastic fragment contamination in 20 mulched agricultural farmlands across Sichuan Province, China, finding abundances ranging from 50 to 1,158 particles per kilogram. A random forest model identified total mulch film amount, annual precipitation, and planting pattern as the key controls on fragment abundance.

2022 Water 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural mulch films as soil microplastic contamination factor

This review examines agricultural mulch films as a source of soil microplastic contamination, summarizing evidence on degradation rates, particle accumulation in soil profiles, and impacts on soil properties and biological communities over time.

2024
Article Tier 2

Plastic mulch film induced soil microplastic enrichment and its impact on wind-blown sand and dust

Field experiments in semi-arid northern China showed that plastic mulch film use significantly enriched microplastics in surface soils compared to unfilmed plots, and that wind-blown sand and dust from mulched farmland transported microplastics to surrounding environments.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Cropland Microplastics in Xinjiang: Unveiling Distribution and Impact of Mulching Film Residues

This study assessed microplastic distribution and the contribution of agricultural mulching film residues across croplands in Xinjiang, China, finding widespread polyethylene microplastic contamination that correlates with mulch film use intensity and poses risks to soil health and food safety.

2024
Article Tier 2

Agricultural plastic films reshape soil microplastic distribution, nitrogen cycle and ecological risks in facility agriculture

Researchers compared microplastic characteristics in protected agriculture systems and traditional farmland soils in China, finding significantly higher microplastic abundance in mulched farmland and documenting correlations between microplastic presence and altered soil nitrogen cycling and heavy metal distribution.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The characteristics and influencing factors of farmland soil microplastic in Hetao Irrigation District, China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in farmland soil across a major grain-producing region in China, finding concentrations ranging from about 1,800 to over 86,000 particles per kilogram. Polyethylene film fragments from agricultural plastic mulch were the dominant type, and 90% of the particles were smaller than 180 micrometers. The study shows that farming practices are introducing large amounts of microplastics into the soil where food crops are grown, raising questions about potential transfer into the food supply.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 50 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

Is mulch film itself the primary source of meso- and microplastics in the mulching cultivated soil? A preliminary field study with econometric methods

A field study examined whether mulch films were the primary source of meso- and microplastics in mulched agricultural soils using econometric methods to compare plastic-mulched and non-mulched fields, finding that while mulch contributed to soil plastic loads, it was not the sole source. The study challenges the assumption that plastic mulch is always the dominant microplastic source in farmed soils.

2022 Environmental Pollution 66 citations
Article Tier 2

[Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Farmland Soil in Guyuan].

Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in agricultural soils in Guyuan City, China, finding concentrations ranging from 186 to 1,286 particles per kg, with greenhouse farming soils containing 35–229% more microplastics than open fields and PE and PP being the dominant polymer types. The findings raise concern for food chain contamination and demonstrate that plastic mulch film use in facility agriculture significantly increases soil microplastic accumulation.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Riverine microplastics derived from mulch film in Hainan Island: Occurrence, source and fate

Researchers investigated the occurrence, sources, and fate of microplastics derived from agricultural mulch films in rivers of Hainan Island, China, finding that mulch film residues are a significant contributor to riverine microplastic pollution with implications for downstream coastal environments.

2022 Environmental Pollution 33 citations