Microplastics in an agricultural soil following repeated application of three types of sewage sludge: A field study

Yang, Jie; Li, Lianzhen; Li, Ruijie; Xu, Li; Yi-chen, Shen; Li, Simin; Tu, Chen; Wu, L.H.; Christie, Peter; Luo, Yongming

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117943

Cited by 111 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…They also found a presence of MPs more than double in the case of the use of municipal SeS compared to mixed SeS (municipal and industrial), highlighting a possible strong dependence between the type of SeS and the quantity of MPs released after spreading in agriculture [100]. In accordance with the previous study by Corradini et al [97], the qualitative analysis of MPs determined that fibers represent the MPs most present in the soil samples analyzed (from 66.7 to 82.5%) [100].…”

Section: Microplastics In Soils Amended With Sewage Sludgementioning

confidence: 97%

“…Although several authors try to roughly estimate the potential dispersion and accumulation of MPs in soils due to the spread of SeS [41,95,96], the number of research studies on this topic is low and severely limited to the last two years. In the literature, only four studies have been identified [97][98][99][100] (Table 2). Corradini et al [97] examined 30 different plots of land in Chile, which had been amended with diverse frequency (0-5 times) in the previous 10 years with about 40 t ha −1 of SeS.…”

Section: Microplastics In Soils Amended With Sewage Sludgementioning

confidence: 99%

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Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A Known but Underrated Pathway in Wastewater Treatment Plants

et al. 2021

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Interest in the presence of microplastics (MPs) in wastewater has grown significantly in recent years. In fact, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent the last barrier before the discharge of MPs into an aquatic ecosystem. The research has highlighted how MPs are in part effectively removed from the waters and accumulated inside the sewage sludge (SeS) produced by the WWTP, being a cause for concern, especially in the case of agricultural reuse. This work aims to analyze the existing literature on the (i) methodical procedure for MPs analysis (thermal, spectroscopic, optical analyses), (ii) qualitative and quantitative presence of MPs in SeS, (iii) effect on sludge properties, and (iv) the possible accumulation in amended soils. Based on the results already obtained in the literature, this work aims to provide critical insights to stimulate interest in the topic and direct future research on aspects that should be deepened. In particular, it emerges that there is a clear need for standardization of the collection methods and the analytical techniques for identifying and quantifying MPs, since their physico-chemical characterization and the study on aging and on the response towards acid or basic pre-treatments are fundamental for the understanding of microplastics ecotoxicological potential.

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Section: Microplastics In Soils Amended With Sewage Sludgementioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Microplastics In Soils Amended With Sewage Sludgementioning

confidence: 99%

Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A Known but Underrated Pathway in Wastewater Treatment Plants

et al. 2021

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“…A major source of microplastics in soil is agriculture, where they are formed due to the deterioration of mulch foils, tunnels, holders and other plastic structures [ 7 ]. Microplastics can also enter soil via the application of compost or wastewater sludge [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Another source of MPs in soil is the abrasion of particles from tires (rubber particles) and subsequent atmospheric deposition [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Simple Method for Quantification of Polyhydroxybutyrate and Polylactic Acid Micro-Bioplastics in Soils by Evolved Gas Analysis

et al. 2022

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Conventional plastics are being slowly replaced by biodegradable ones to prevent plastic pollution. However, in the natural environment, the biodegradation of plastics is usually slow or incomplete due to unfavorable conditions and leads to faster micro-bioplastic formation. Many analytical methods were developed to determine microplastics, but micro-bioplastics are still overlooked. This work presents a simple method for determining poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and polylactic acid micro-bioplastics in soil based on the thermogravimetry–mass spectrometry analysis of low molecular gases evolved during pyrolysis. For the method development, model soils containing different soil organic carbon contents were spiked with micro-bioplastics. Specific gaseous pyrolysis products of the analytes were identified, while the ratio of their amounts appeared to be constant above the level of detection of the suggested method. The constant ratio was explained as a lower soil influence on the evolution of the gaseous product, and it was suggested as an additional identification parameter. The advantages of the presented method are no sample pretreatment, presumably no need for an internal standard, low temperature needed for the transfer of gaseous products and the possibility of using its principles with other, cheaper detectors. The method can find application in the verification of biodegradation tests and in the monitoring of soils after the application of biodegradable products.

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“…China is a major producer and emitter of plastic waste, and the country’s soil, lakes, and groundwater are critically threatened by serious microplastic pollution [ 3 , 17 , 18 ]. MPs have a wide range of sources in natural water systems, including domestic sewage discharge [ 19 ], atmospheric settlement [ 20 ], agricultural irrigation [ 21 ], and sludge composting [ 22 ], etc. Karst area rural sewage discharge increased, and purification facilities were insufficient [ 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary Study on the Distribution, Source, and Ecological Risk of Typical Microplastics in Karst Groundwater in Guizhou Province, China

Lan

et al. 2022

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Karst groundwater is one of the important drinking water sources in karst areas, and it has an important role in maintaining the regional ecosystem and human health. The study of microplastics (MPs) in karst groundwater has rarely been reported, and the occurrence and migration behavior of MPs under the unique environmental conditions of karst is unclear. This study selected cave groundwater and common MPs in karst areas to explore the occurrence characteristics of MPs in groundwater to clarify the factors affecting the distribution and migration of MPs. The results showed that the abundance of MPs in karst groundwater was between 2.33 and 9.50 items·L−1, with an average abundance of 4.50 items·L−1. The microplastic size, type, color, and chemical composition were primarily 1~5 mm, film and fiber, color and transparent, and PS and PE, respectively. The risk characterization ratio (RCR) index results indicated that 80% of the samples were at a low ecological risk level, whereas 60% of the sampling points after concentrated rainfall in June were a medium ecological risk. The study showed that rainfall events significantly changed the abundance and migration of MPs in karst groundwater. The Pearson analysis showed a positive correlation between microplastic distribution and suspended particles (SP), total organic carbon (TOC), and water velocity (WV) in water. The study indicated that strong soil erosion in karst areas may also be one of the main sources of MPs in karst groundwater, and that karst groundwater microplastic pollution is an environmental problem that should not be ignored.

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Microplastics in an agricultural soil following repeated application of three types of sewage sludge: A field study

Cited by 111 publications

References 61 publications

Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A Known but Underrated Pathway in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Microplastics in Sewage Sludge: A Known but Underrated Pathway in Wastewater Treatment Plants

A Simple Method for Quantification of Polyhydroxybutyrate and Polylactic Acid Micro-Bioplastics in Soils by Evolved Gas Analysis

Preliminary Study on the Distribution, Source, and Ecological Risk of Typical Microplastics in Karst Groundwater in Guizhou Province, China

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