Microplastic Pollution in Terrestrial Ecosystems and Its Interaction with Other Soil Pollutants: A Potential Threat to Soil Ecosystem Sustainability

Meera Rai, Gaurav Pant, Kumud Pant, Becky N. Aloo, Gaurav Kumar, Harikesh Bahadur Singh and Vishal Tripathi ()
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Meera Rai: Department of Microbiology, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun 248002, Uttarakhand, India
Gaurav Pant: Department of Microbiology, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun 248002, Uttarakhand, India
Kumud Pant: Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun 248002, Uttarakhand, India
Becky N. Aloo: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret 1125-30100, Kenya
Gaurav Kumar: Department of Microbiology, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144001, Punjab, India
Harikesh Bahadur Singh: Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India
Vishal Tripathi: Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun 248002, Uttarakhand, India

Resources, 2023, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: The production and disposal of plastics have become significant concerns for the sustainability of the planet. During the past 75 years, around 80% of plastic waste has either ended up in landfills or been released into the environment. Plastic debris released into the environment breaks down into smaller particles through fragmentation, weathering, and other disintegration processes, generating microplastics (plastic particles ≤ 5 mm in size). Although marine and aquatic ecosystems have been the primary focus of microplastic pollution research, a growing body of evidence suggests that terrestrial ecosystems are equally at risk. Microplastic contamination has been reported in various terrestrial environments from several sources such as plastics mulch, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, tire abrasions (tire wear particles), textiles industries (microfibers), sewage sludge, and plastic dumping. Recent studies suggest that the soil has become a significant sink for pollutants released into terrestrial ecosystems and is often contaminated with a mixture of organic and inorganic pollutants. This has gradually caused adverse impacts on soil health and fertility by affecting soil pH, porosity, water-holding capacity, and soil microbial enzymatic activities. Microplastics can interact with the co-existing pollutants of the environments by adsorbing the contaminants onto their surfaces through various intermolecular forces, including electrostatic, hydrophobic, non-covalent, partition effects, van der Waals forces, and microporous filling mechanisms. This subsequently delays the degradation process of existing contaminants, thereby affecting the soil and various ecological activities of the ecosystem. Thus, the present article aims to elucidate the deleterious impact of microplastics and their interactions with other pollutants in the terrestrial ecosystem. This review also addresses the impact of microplastics in disrupting the soil sustainability of the planet.

Keywords: microplastics; soil sustainability; terrestrial ecosystems; co-contamination; heavy metals; pesticides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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