Papers

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Article Tier 2

The occurrence and effect of altitude on microplastics distribution in agricultural soils of Qinghai Province, northwest China

Microplastic distribution was investigated in agricultural soils of Qinghai Province at different altitudes, finding that altitude influenced microplastic characteristics and abundance, with lower-altitude agricultural areas showing higher contamination from plastic film use.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence characteristics and ecological impact of agricultural soil microplastics in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau, China

Researchers investigated microplastic pollution in agricultural soils on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau in China, a remote area with low population density. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from about 17 to 950 particles per kilogram, with polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polyethylene being the most common types. The study suggests that facility-based agriculture significantly increases soil microplastic levels, and nearly half of the areas assessed showed relatively high polymer risk.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic characteristic in the soil across the Tibetan Plateau

Researchers systematically investigated microplastic pollution across the Tibetan Plateau, finding widespread contamination averaging 47 items per kilogram of soil, with fibers predominating and concentrations influenced by proximity to human activities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 129 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence of microplastics in farmland and grassland soils in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau: Different land use and mulching time in facility agriculture

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in farmland and grassland soils on the remote Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The study found an average of about 50 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil, with plastic film and polyester being the most common types. Notably, longer use of plastic mulch in farming was linked to higher microplastic levels, suggesting that agricultural plastic use is a key source of soil contamination even in remote regions.

2021 Environmental Pollution 225 citations
Article Tier 2

Land-use patterns determine the distribution of soil microplastics in typical agricultural areas on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Researchers found that land-use patterns strongly determine microplastic distribution in agricultural soils on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, with facility agriculture and farmland soils containing significantly higher microplastic abundance than grassland and orchard soils.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 122 citations
Article Tier 2

An integrated evaluation of potentially toxic elements and microplastics in the highland soils of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Researchers conducted the first integrated assessment of toxic elements and microplastics in grassland and farmland soils on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. They found microplastic abundances ranging from 200 to over 3,600 particles per kilogram, with polypropylene dominating in grasslands and polyethylene in farmlands. The study reveals that even remote highland ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau are not immune to microplastic contamination.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution and Distribution of Microplastics in Grassland Soils of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China

Researchers collected and analyzed 22 grassland soil samples from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and found microplastics present in every sample, with an average abundance of 1,202 particles per kilogram. Polyethylene terephthalate was the dominant polymer type, and most particles were in the 10-50 micrometer size range. The findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination reaches even remote, high-altitude grassland environments far from major population centers.

2023 Toxics 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distributions, Compositional Profiles, Potential Sources, and Intfluencing Factors of Microplastics in Soils from Different Agricultural Farmlands in China: A National Perspective

Researchers conducted a nationwide survey of microplastics in Chinese agricultural soils, collecting 477 samples from 109 cities across 31 regions, and identified spatial distribution patterns and key factors influencing farmland microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 130 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microplastics in soils on the high-altitude area of the Tibetan Plateau: Multiple environmental factors

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in soils across different land use types on the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau, a remote and sparsely populated region. The study found that microplastic abundance varied with land use, altitude, meteorological conditions, and distance from roads, with greenhouse soils showing the highest concentrations, indicating that even remote high-altitude environments are not free from microplastic pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence status of microplastics in main agricultural areas of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China

Agricultural soils in Xinjiang, China, were surveyed for microplastic contamination, revealing widespread presence in major farming regions where plastic mulch films and irrigation systems are heavily used. The study provides one of the first regional-scale assessments of microplastic pollution in this important agricultural area.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 55 citations
Article Tier 2

A multivariate analysis of microplastics in soils along the headwaters of Yangtze river on the Tibetan Plateau

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in soils along the headwaters of the Yangtze River on the Tibetan Plateau. The study found average concentrations of 64 to 89 items per kilogram, with polyethylene films being the most common type, and statistical modeling indicated that population density was the primary driver of microplastic accumulation in these remote highland soils.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Driving factors of the distribution of microplastics in the surface soil of the typical uninhabited and habited areas in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau, China

A large survey across the remote Qinghai-Tibet Plateau found microplastics in surface soils everywhere sampled, with abundance rising near roads and residential areas and with increasing rainfall, pointing to both traffic and atmospheric transport as key delivery pathways. Different regions had different dominant sources — traffic emissions in some areas, household activity in others — suggesting that pollution control strategies need to be tailored locally rather than applied uniformly. Even this high-altitude, supposedly pristine region is significantly contaminated, highlighting the truly global reach of microplastic pollution.

2024 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

[Abundances and Morphology Patterns of Microplastics Under Different Land Use Types on the Loess Plateau].

Researchers investigated the abundance and morphological patterns of microplastics across different land use types on the Loess Plateau in China, examining how agriculture, grassland, and other land uses shape microplastic accumulation in soils of this major agricultural production region.

2022 PubMed 8 citations
Article Tier 2

The distribution of microplastics in soil aggregate fractions in southwestern China

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution across different soil types in agricultural and forested areas near a lake in southwestern China and found plastic particles in every sample, with concentrations as high as 42,960 particles per kilogram. Approximately 95% of the particles fell within the microplastic size range, and fibers were the dominant form, likely originating from textiles and agricultural materials. The study demonstrates that microplastic contamination in soils is extensive and varies with land use practices.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 1282 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of soil properties and land use patterns on the distribution of microplastics: A case study in southwest China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in soils across different land use types in Guizhou Province, southwest China. The study found that soil properties and land use patterns significantly influence microplastic abundance and distribution, with agricultural and urban soils generally showing higher contamination levels than less intensively managed areas.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance, spatial distribution, and characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils and their relationship with contributing factors

Researchers found microplastic concentrations of 2,800 to 82,500 particles per kilogram in agricultural soils of Hainan Island, China, with plastic mulching, farming practices, and environmental factors all contributing to spatial variation in contamination levels.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 88 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution characteristics of microplastics in soil of Loess Plateau in northwest China and their relationship with land use type

Researchers measured microplastic levels across different land use types on China's Loess Plateau and found an average abundance of nearly 3,000 particles per kilogram of soil. Construction land and cultivated areas had the highest concentrations, while grassland and woodland had lower levels. The study demonstrates that human land use patterns directly influence how much microplastic accumulates in soil across this important agricultural region.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 33 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

Characteristics of soil microplastics and ecological risks in the Qilian Mountains region, Northeast Tibetan Plateau

Researchers analyzed soil microplastics across different vegetation types in the Qilian Mountains of the Northeast Tibetan Plateau using laser infrared spectroscopy. They found the highest microplastic abundance in shrub soils, with fragments dominating across all vegetation types and polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate as the most common polymers. While basic pollution indices showed manageable levels, hazard-based assessments indicated that specific polymer types present medium to high ecological risks in this remote mountain ecosystem.

2024 Environmental Pollution 13 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

National-scale distribution of micro(meso)plastics in farmland soils across China: Implications for environmental impacts

Farmland soils across 30 sites in China contained an average of 358 microplastic items/kg, with concentrations higher in arid northern regions; meta-analysis showed that while current soil levels are generally below minimum effective concentrations for harming crops and soil enzymes, they are approaching those thresholds.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 152 citations
Article Tier 2

Significant influence of land use types and anthropogenic activities on the distribution of microplastics in soil: A case from a typical mining-agricultural city

Scientists surveyed microplastic pollution across five types of land in a Chinese mining-agricultural city and found the highest levels in greenhouse farmland, with nearly 3,738 particles per kilogram of soil. Agricultural plastic waste, irrigation water, and fertilizers were identified as the main sources of contamination. The study shows that farming practices are major contributors to microplastic buildup in the soil that produces our food.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution of microplastics in mulched soil in Xinjiang, China

Researchers studied microplastic distribution in plastic film mulched farmland soils in Xinjiang, China, using an optimised fluidization-centrifugation density flotation method, finding that plastic mulch was the dominant source of soil microplastics and characterising their morphology, size distribution, and polymer composition by Fourier spectroscopy and electron microscopy.

2021 International journal of agricultural and biological engineering 46 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 microplastics distribution characteristics and their impact on soil physicochemical properties and bacterial communities in food legumes farmland in northern China

Researchers surveyed farmland soil across five provinces in northern China and found microplastic contamination ranging from 1,600 to over 36,000 particles per kilogram of soil. Most of the microplastics were small fibers and fragments, primarily from agricultural plastic film and organic fertilizer use. The study found that microplastic presence altered soil properties and shifted bacterial community composition, suggesting these particles may affect soil health in food-growing regions.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 26 citations