Distinct microplastic distributions in soils of different land-use types: A case study of Chinese farmlands

Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a huge threat to agroecosystems, but the distribution characteristics of MPs in different types of farmland are still largely unknown. In this work, samples from six land-use types were collected from Chinese farmlands in five provinces. It was found that MP abundances were in the range of 2783–6366 items/kg in all samples. MP distribution results showed that over 80% of particles were less than 1 mm, and that MP sizes ranging between 0.02 and 0.2 mm represented the greatest proportion. The particle shape classified as fragment (with edges and angular) was the most frequent shape, with an abundance of approximately 54.05%. Polyethylene (PE) and polyamides (PA) were the most abundant polymers in cropped lands; 20.88% and 20.31%, respectively. Statistical analyses showed that lands used for plastic mulching (mulch film and greenhouse crops) had a significantly higher particle abundance, hence identifying plastic mulching as a major contributor to MP pollution in agricultural lands. Furthermore, paddy lands had a significantly higher MP abundance than wheat lands. Variation analyses of MP characteristics revealed that cereal crop farmlands (wheat, paddy land) were more likely to contain fibrous shapes and large MP particles (1–5 mm). Economically important tree lands (orchards, woodlands) were likely to contain fragment shapes and pony-size MPs (0.02–0.2 mm). Discrepancies among farmlands may depend on various reasons, such as mulching plastic application, irrigation, atmospheric fallout, etc. This study provides firsthand evidences about the characteristics of MP pollution in farmlands and explores some predominant MP sources in agroecosystems.