Environmental fate and impacts of microplastics in soil ecosystems: Progress and perspective

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 708; p. 134841
• Main Authors: Wang, Wenfeng, Ge, Jing, Yu, Xiangyang, Li, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.03.2020
• Subjects: Analytical techniques; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicological effects; ecotoxicology; edaphic factors; environmental fate; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollution; marine environment; Microplastics; Microplastics contamination; plants (botany); pollution; Soil; Soil ecosystems; soil fauna; soil microorganisms; Sources; wastes; Microplastics contamination; Analytical techniques; Soil ecosystems; Ecotoxicological effects; Sources
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134841

[Display omitted] •Microplastics monitoring data in soil systems are currently insufficient.•Standardized analytical methods for soil microplastics are still lacking.•Microplastics can affect soil physicochemical properties and biota.•Future studies on occurrence and impacts of microplastics in soils are required. The wide and intensive application of plastics and their derived products has resulted in global environmental contamination of plastic waste. Large-sized plastic litter can be fragmented into microplastics (<5 mm), which have attracted increasing concerns from the general public and scientific communities worldwide. Until recently, the majority of microplastics research reported in literatures has been focusing on the aquatic settings, especially the marine environment, while information about microplastics contamination in terrestrial soil systems is highly insufficient. In this paper, we reviewed the latest data regarding the occurrence of microplastics in terrestrial soils and discussed their potential pathways into the soil environment. We also summarized the currently used methodologies for extraction and characterization of microplastics in soil matrices and evaluated their advantages and limitations. Additionally, we assessed the ecotoxicological consequences of microplastics contamination on soil ecosystems, including the effects on soil physiochemical properties, terrestrial plants, soil fauna, and soil microbes. Finally, based on the most current progress summarized in this review, we suggested several directions for future research on microplastics in soil ecosystems.