Evidence of microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils from sewage sludge disposal

Corradini, Fabio; Meza, Pablo; Eguiluz, Raúl; Casado, Francisco; Lwanga, Esperanza Huerta; Geissen, Violette

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.368

Cited by 1,026 publications

(534 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The treatment of land with sewage sludge is thought to make a significant contribution of microplastics to soil. 116 The emergence of nanoplastics in the environment poses a new set of potential threats, although any impacts on human health are not yet known, save, as indicated from model studies. 117 As alarming as this all may sound, plastic pollution is really just one element in the overall matrix of a changing climate ('the world's woes') and must be addressed as part of an integrated consideration of how we use all resources and the need to change our expectations, goals and lifestyles.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solving the plastic problem: From cradle to grave, to reincarnation

Rhodes¹

2019

Science Progress

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Plastic packaging accounts for 36% of all plastics made, but amounts to 47% of all plastic waste; 90% of all plastic items are used once and then discarded, which corresponds to around 50% of the total mass of plastics manufactured. Evidence for the ubiquity of microplastic pollution is accumulating rapidly, and wherever such material is sought, it seems to be found. Thus, microplastics have been identified in Arctic ice, the air, food and drinking water, soils, rivers, aquifers, remote maintain regions, glaciers, the oceans and ocean sediments, including waters and deep sea sediments around Antarctica, and within the deepest marine trenches of the Earth. They have also been detected in the bodies of animals, including humans, and as being passed along the hierarchy of food chains, up to marine top predators. Evidence has also been presented that microplastics are able to cross different life stages of mosquito that use different habitats -larva (feeding) to pupa (non-feeding) to adult terrestrial (flying) -and therefore can be spread from aquatic systems by flying insects. The so-called 'missing plastic problem' appears to be, in part, due to limitations in sampling methods, that is, many of the very small microplastic particles may simply escape capture in the trawl nets that are typically employed to collect them, but have been evidenced in grab-sampling experiments. Moreover, it is simply not possible to measure entirely through the vast, oceanic volumes of the oceans. It can, however, be concluded with some confidence that the majority of the plastic is not located at the sea surface, and indeed, several different sinks have been proposed for microplastics, including the sea floor and sediments, the ocean column itself, ice sheets, glaciers and soils. The treatment of land with sewage sludge is also thought to make a significant contribution of microplastics to soil. A substantial amount of airborne microparticulate pollution is created by the abrasion of tyres on road surfaces (and other 'non-exhaust' sources), meaning that even electric vehicles are not 'clean' in this regard, despite their elimination of tailpipe PM 2.5 and PM 10 emissions. The emergence of nanoplastics in the environment poses a new set of potential threats, although any impacts on human health are not yet known, save, as indicated from model studies. While improved design, manufacture, collection, reuse, repurposing and reprocessing/recycling of plastic items are necessary, overwhelmingly, a Article Rhodes 219 curbing in the use of plastic materials in the first place is demanded, particularly from single-use packaging. However, plastic pollution is just one element in the overall matrix of a changing climate ('the world's woes') and must be addressed as part of an integrated consideration of how we use all resources, fossil and otherwise, and the need to change our expectations, goals and lifestyles. In this effort, the role of deglobalisation/relocalisation may prove critical: thus, food and other necessities might be produced more on...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solving the plastic problem: From cradle to grave, to reincarnation

Rhodes¹

2019

Science Progress

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“…Numerous soil microbes, both bacteria and fungi, have been implicated in plastic degradation (Kale et al, ; Shah et al, ; Yoshida et al, ). This has ramifications both for the fate of allochthonous microplastics introduced to a soil via floodwaters (Scheurer & Bigalke, ), sewage sludge (Corradini et al, ) or other means, and for the potential formation of autochthonous microplastics from larger plastic debris (Figure ).…”

Section: Microbial Effects: Colonization and Degradationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This has ramifications both for the fate of allochthonous microplastics introduced to a soil via floodwaters (Scheurer & Bigalke, 2018), sewage sludge (Corradini et al, 2019) potential formation of autochthonous microplastics from larger plastic debris (Figure 3).…”

Section: Crob Ial Effec Ts: Coloniz Ati On and Deg R Adationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They originate from many sources (Bläsing & Amelung, ) and are almost certainly ubiquitous around the globe, being carried by wind to even the remotest places (Allen et al, ). However, urban (Fuller & Gautam, ), riparian (Scheurer & Bigalke, ) and agricultural soils (Corradini et al, ; Liu et al, ; Piehl et al, ; Zhang & Liu, ) have so far received the bulk of research focus (Figure c). Soils are the basis of virtually all terrestrial ecosystems and one of human society's most important natural resources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Diagram showing common microplastic shapes, six of the most common plastic polymers (Geyer, Jambeck, & Law, ), and sources and observed concentrations of microplastics in urban (1: Fuller and Gautam ()), riparian (2: Scheurer and Bigalke ()) and agricultural soils (3: Zhang and Liu (), 4: Piehl et al (), 5: Corradini et al ()). Note that microplastic concentration in (5) is given in particles per g, not particles per kg…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Towards an ecology of soil microplastics

2019

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Microplastic pollution is a topic of increasing concern for the world's oceans, freshwaters and, most recently, soils. Microplastics have been found in soils across the globe. Like other anthropogenic pollutants, they can negatively affect a range of soil organisms through several mechanisms, though often dependent on particle size, shape and polymer type. However, microplastics are unique among pollutants due to the diversity of ways in which soil organisms may themselves be able to affect their occurrence and distribution and mediate their effects on the rest of the soil food web. In this review, we argue for a more explicitly ecological framing of this novel issue for the soil environment and discuss their potential interactions with soil communities, including microplastic formation via microbial and faunal fragmentation of large plastic debris and organisms such as earthworms placing microplastic particles in unique pedological contexts they could not otherwise reach. Ecological interactions may be crucial for dictating microplastics’ ultimate fate and effect on terrestrial ecosystems. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

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Investigation of indoor microplastics in settled indoor house dust in single‐person residential buildings in Japan

Bai,

Lim,

et al. 2024

Japan Architectural Review

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Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are widely spread in aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments, which is a marked environmental concern. However, research on indoor microplastic pollution remains limited, particularly in Japan. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the shape and composition of microplastics in house dust from single‐person households in four regions of Japan, including Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai. Micro‐Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, a technique that combines infrared spectroscopy with optical microscopy was used, allowing a detailed analysis by obtaining the specific interference patterns and absorption spectra of the materials. The influence of building structure, flooring, and wall materials on microplastic composition in indoor environments was also investigated. This study addresses crucial knowledge gaps regarding the extent, forms, and sources of indoor microplastics. These findings contribute to the development of targeted measures to mitigate indoor microplastic exposure, support efforts to improve indoor air quality, and protect public health.

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Evidence of microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils from sewage sludge disposal

Cited by 1,026 publications

References 37 publications

Solving the plastic problem: From cradle to grave, to reincarnation

Solving the plastic problem: From cradle to grave, to reincarnation

Towards an ecology of soil microplastics

Investigation of indoor microplastics in settled indoor house dust in single‐person residential buildings in Japan

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