This study highlights the increasing concern about microplastic pollution in cultivated soils, particularly in plateau regions, where research remains limited. An investigation of 100 soil samples from 10 counties in Yunnan Province revealed microplastic abundances ranging from 0.9 × 10³ to 40.8 × 10³ particles (kg Ds)⁻¹, with an average of 9.8 × 10³ particles (kg Ds)⁻¹. Notably, microplastic levels in inland soils were an order of magnitude higher than those in offshore sediments. The primary sources were attributed to the use and residue of plastic mulch. Predominant microplastic forms included fragments (78.3%), transparent/translucent particles (49.7%), and micro-sized particles (< 500 μm) (89.3%), with evidence of environmental ageing due to factors like UV radiation. The study underscores the urgent need to address microplastic pollution in inland soils.
The current study examines the contamination of microplastics in three greenhouse types: abandoned, normal, and simple. The findings revealed that the abundance of microplastics was found to be the highest in the abandoned greenhouse, followed by the normal greenhouse and simple greenhouse. The mean abundance of microplastic organic fertilizer and irrigation water was also high.[…]
The study examines the distribution of residual film after eight years of film mulching in mid-April 2018. Results from the study revealed that eight years of mulching significantly increased the quantity of agricultural mulch film residues in the soil. The size of residual film fragments was found to vary from 0.25 cm2 to 109 cm2,[…]
A study in Yuanmou County, Yunnan Province, investigated microplastic pollution in different land uses, including facility farmland, traditional farmland, orchard, grassland, and woodland. Results showed a significant difference in microplastic abundance and characteristics between different land use types. Facility farmlands, traditional farmlands, and orchard lands had higher microplastic abundance than grasslands and woodlands. The main[…]
The study analysed 225 soil samples from maize planting zones in northern China, revealing that long-term plastic film mulching increases microplastic pollution in agricultural soils. The abundance of microplastics was significantly higher in mulched soils (754 ± 477 items kg-1) than in non-mulched soils (376 ± 149 items kg-1). The length of time with film[…]
The study examined the relative abundances and morphological distributions of microplastics (MPs) in water, sediments, and farmland soils in the Caohai Lake region. The estuary in the study area was considered a potential sink for MP transportation. Transparent and black MPs accounted for a large proportion of MPs in the five environments, with possible sources[…]