The current situation of soil microplastic pollution is very serious and has become an urgent worldwide ecological and environmental issue. Micro-plastics are plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 millimeters, which mainly originate from human activities, such as the manufacture, use and disposal of plastic products, as well as plastic particles generated during industrial production.
Soil cytoplasmic pollution comes from a variety of sources, including the following:
Solid Waste Disposal: Plastic products naturally decompose in landfills over long periods of time, generating large quantities of tiny plastic fragments.
Agricultural activities: Agricultural mulch film residues, application of organic fertilizers containing Micro-plastics, and deposition of Micro-plastics in irrigation water sources are all important sources of Micro-plastics in agricultural soils.
Atmospheric deposition: cytoplasmic particles generated during weathering and friction of plastic products can be transported through the atmosphere and then deposited on the soil surface.
Sewage treatment: Wastewater discharged from sewage treatment plants often contains Micro-plastics, which are transferred to the soil system after being irrigated by farmland or discharged directly into water bodies.
Industrial emissions and transportation: Factory emissions, wear and tear on automobile tires, and the scattering of plastic packaging materials also indirectly introduce Micro-plastics into the soil.
Soil cytoplasmic pollution has serious environmental and ecosystem impacts:
Biodiversity impacts: Micro-plastics can be ingested by soil invertebrates such as earthworms and nematodes, affecting their ability to survive and reproduce, which in turn destroys the basic link in the soil food chain and reduces biodiversity.
Microbial ecological disorders: Micro-plastics adsorb toxic and harmful substances, change the structure of soil microbial communities, inhibit the activity of beneficial microorganisms, and affect the decomposition of soil organic matter and nutrient cycling.
Changes in soil physical and chemical properties: Micro-plastics enter soil pores and may block soil pore channels, reduce soil permeability and water permeability, and change soil structure and properties.
Obstruction of plant growth: Due to the decline in soil aeration and drainage, the growth of plant roots is restricted, which may lead to a decrease in crop yield and quality.
Threat to water security: Accumulation of Micro-plastics in the soil may affect groundwater quality and increase the risk of transport from the soil to other levels of the food chain.
