Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Quantification and analysis of surface macroplastic contamination on arable areas

Researchers quantified macroplastic contamination on German farmland, finding that fields fertilized with compost had 42 times more plastic particles per hectare than unfertilized fields, indicating that compost application and roadside littering are major pathways for plastic entering agricultural soils.

2021 Journal of Soils and Sediments 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination and quantification of microplastics in compost

Researchers analyzed commercially available compost products to determine how much microplastic contamination they contain. They found microplastics in all tested composts, with fibers and fragments being the most common forms, primarily made of polyethylene and polypropylene. The findings raise concerns that applying commercial compost to agricultural land may be an overlooked pathway for introducing microplastics into soil.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics identification and quantification in the composted Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste

Researchers quantified microplastics in composted organic municipal solid waste from five facilities, finding contamination levels that raise concerns about compost quality and the potential transfer of microplastics to agricultural soils through organic waste recycling.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 125 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantity and Material Composition of Foreign Bodies in Bio-Waste Collected in Towns from Single- and Multi-Family Housing and in Rural Areas

Researchers characterized the quantity and composition of foreign bodies, including plastics, in bio-waste collected from households across multiple German cities, finding significant contamination that complicates composting and recycling operations.

2024 Energies 5 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Plastics and other extraneous matter in municipal solid waste compost: A systematic review of sources, occurrence, implications, and fate in amended soils

Researchers reviewed contamination in municipal compost made from household organic waste, finding plastics are the most prevalent pollutant — with some batches containing enough plastic to deposit over 500 kg per hectare of farmland each year. Repeated use of contaminated compost builds up microplastics in soil, threatening soil health and potentially moving plastic particles into crops and food.

2024 Environmental Advances 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Abundance in the Locally Produced Commercial Compost and the Characteristics

Researchers measured microplastic abundance in locally produced commercial compost, characterizing particle morphology, size, and polymer type. The compost contained measurable microplastic concentrations dominated by polyester fibres and polyethylene fragments, confirming that commercial composting does not eliminate microplastic contamination and may serve as a route for soil plastic input.

2024 Tropical Agricultural Research 5 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

A systematic review of the occurrence of microplastics in compost: Understanding the abundance, sources, characteristics and ecological risk

Researchers reviewed 19 global studies and found microplastics in virtually all types of compost — including those made from animal manure, sewage sludge, and municipal waste — with concentrations reaching up to 288,000 particles per kilogram in some samples. Since compost is widely applied to farmland, these findings highlight a significant but overlooked pathway for microplastics to enter soils and the food chain.

2024 Results in Engineering 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Commercial Compost From a Wide Range of Composting Materials and Potential Environmental Impacts

Researchers identified and quantified microplastics in commercial compost derived from household waste, livestock manure, and vegetable straw using acid extraction, filtration, and FTIR spectroscopy. All compost types contained microplastics, with concentrations varying by feedstock type, raising concerns about microplastic introduction to agricultural soils via compost application.

2025 Environmental Quality Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the abundance and potential impacts of microplastic contamination in commercial organic fertilizers/compost produced from different solid waste

Researchers analyzed commercial organic fertilizers made from different waste sources and found microplastics in 80% of the samples, with compost from mixed municipal waste containing the highest levels. The estimated amounts of microplastics being introduced into agricultural soils through these fertilizers exceeded previous reports. The study highlights the need for stricter regulations on organic fertilizer quality to prevent microplastic contamination of farmland.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and the related ecological risks of organic composts from different raw materials

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in 124 organic compost samples made from livestock manure, poultry waste, crop straw, and solid waste, finding that all types contained significant microplastic loads. Solid waste compost had the highest levels while crop straw compost had the lowest, and the particles showed signs of weathering and mineral attachment. The findings suggest that applying organic compost to farmland may be an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution entering agricultural soils.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Breakdown of plastic waste into microplastics during an industrial Composting: A case study from a biowaste facility

A study of industrial composting facilities found that plastic waste items introduced into the compost feedstock broke down into microplastics during the composting process, with finished compost containing significant MP concentrations that could contaminate agricultural soils where the compost is applied.

2025 Waste Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The dynamics of macro- and microplastic quantity and size changes during the composting process

Researchers tracked microplastic generation during composting at two Austrian facilities, finding that microplastics appear after the first turning event and increase throughout the process, with shorter turning intervals accelerating fragmentation rates.

2023 Waste Management 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro- and microplastics in composts from municipal solid waste industrial composting Plants in Uganda

Researchers quantified macro- and microplastic contamination in composts from two industrial municipal solid waste composting plants in Uganda, finding substantial plastic contamination resulting from minimal source separation in waste collection, which could transfer plastics to agricultural soils.

2025 Waste Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification and Quantification of Microplastics in Compost: A case of landfills in Uganda

Researchers surveyed compost sites across 8 cities and 5 municipalities in Uganda, finding microplastics at all locations with fibers being the most abundant type (54.98%), indicating that poor waste management practices are driving plastic contamination into compost used in agriculture.

2026
Article Tier 2

Quantification and Characterisation of Microplastics in Organic Waste-Derived Soil Amendments

Researchers quantified microplastics in Scottish compost, anaerobic digestate, and biosolids used as soil amendments, finding contamination in all samples at concentrations of 34 to 160 particles per gram. Biosolids contained the highest levels, dominated by high-density fibers likely from textile washing, along with over 20,000 cellulosic microfibers per gram. The findings suggest that applying these organic amendments to agricultural land could introduce substantial quantities of microplastics into soil.

2026 Water Air & Soil Pollution
Article Tier 2

Microplastic in Australian processed organics: Abundance, characteristics and potential transport to soil ecosystem

Researchers analyzed processed organic waste products from 11 facilities across Australia and found microplastics in every sample, with concentrations ranging from 1,500 to 16,000 particles per kilogram. They estimated that billions to trillions of microplastic particles could be transferred to Australian soils annually through the application of compost and biosolids. The findings highlight that recycling organic waste, while beneficial for waste reduction, may inadvertently spread microplastic contamination to agricultural land.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination of soil: Are input pathways by compost overridden by littering?

Researchers investigated whether compost application is a major pathway for microplastic contamination of agricultural soil using a long-term fertilizer trial. The study found that while compost does contribute microplastics, the levels detected were relatively low compared to microplastics from general littering, suggesting that environmental littering may be a more significant source of soil microplastic contamination than composting.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Article Tier 2

The Extraction and Characterization of Microplastics of Biocompost and Water Samples Collected from the Different Semi-Urban Agronurseries

Researchers analyzed biocompost and water samples from semi-urban plant nurseries and found microplastic contamination in all samples, with fibers and fragments being the most common types. The microplastics came primarily from plastic packaging and materials used in the composting process. The findings suggest that compost intended for agricultural use may be an unintended source of microplastic pollution in soils.

2024 Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in treated organic wastes of Kaunas and Alytus regional waste management centres, Lithuania

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in treated organic waste from two Lithuanian waste management centres. They found that stabilized organic waste from mixed municipal processing contained the highest levels, with up to 17,407 particles per kilogram, while even separately collected green and food composts contained thousands of particles per kilogram. The study highlights that over 83% of the microplastics were smaller than 1 mm, underscoring the need to control small particle contamination in organic waste fertilizers to prevent soil pollution.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Amount, distribution and composition of large microplastics in typical agricultural soils in Northern Germany

Researchers surveyed agricultural soils in Northern Germany for large microplastics and found contamination across all sampled fields, with polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common polymer types. Concentrations varied widely depending on farming practices, with fields receiving compost and sewage sludge showing higher contamination levels. The study provides important baseline data on microplastic pollution in European agricultural soils and identifies fertilization practices as a key contamination pathway.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 211 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Analysis on Microbial Compost, Vermicompost, and Superworm Compost and Their Ecological Risk Assessment

Researchers found microplastic contamination in all three types of commercial organic compost (microbial, vermicompost, and superworm compost), raising concerns about introducing plastic pollution into agricultural soils through products marketed as environmentally friendly. The ecological risk assessment highlights that even compost used to improve soil health may be a vector for spreading microplastics in food-growing environments.

2026 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as emerging contaminants in municipal solid waste compost: Distribution, characterization, and ecological risk

Researchers evaluated microplastic contamination in compost produced at three municipal composting facilities in central Iran over a full year. They found microplastics in all compost samples, identified multiple polymer types using Raman spectroscopy, and assessed the ecological risks of applying this compost to agricultural land. The findings raise concerns that using compost made from municipal solid waste may inadvertently spread microplastic pollution to farmland soils.

2025 Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in composting of rural domestic waste: abundance, characteristics, and release from the surface of macroplastics

Rural domestic waste compost contained an average of 2,400 ± 358 MP items/kg (dry weight) dominated by polyester, PP, and PE fibers and films, with lab experiments confirming that macroplastics in compost feedstock shed microplastics during the composting process.

2021 Environmental Pollution 224 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term application of organic compost is the primary contributor to microplastic pollution of soils in a wheat–maize rotation

Researchers found that 11 years of organic compost application was the primary contributor to microplastic accumulation in wheat-maize rotation soils, with pig and cow manure composts introducing significant quantities of microplastic particles into agricultural fields.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 82 citations