NJAS: Impact in Agricultural and Life Sciences

In recent years, microplastic contamination in soil ecosystems has become a hot topic, and a large number of publications report that soil is an important sink for microplastics. Previous reports have focused on the abundance, distribution, source, and fate of microplastics in soil environments, and evaluated their toxicity, ecological effects, and potential risks on plants, soil microorganisms, and fauna. However, there exist large research gaps when evaluating microplastic contamination in soils.

Firstly, the sources of microplastics are extensive, due to the intrinsic properties of different microplastics and a variety of natural factors, which may cause large uncertainties in the occurrence, transport, and fate of soil microplastics. Moreover, existing publications regarding microplastics contamination are often noncomparable, because of the lack of comprehensive and systematic analysis of microplastics in soils. Therefore, efficient methods for standardized microplastic analysis in the soil environment are also required.

Secondly, microplastics may release internal contaminants (i.e., plasticizer) or interact with inorganic and organic pollutants, causing detrimental effects on soil microbes and their activities, and subsequently impacting plant health in soil-plant systems, and even posing food chain risks. However, current knowledge about the coupled effects of microplastics and co-existing contaminants in soil-plant systems is limited. Comprehensive studies are necessary to understand the effects of microplastics and their interactions with co-existing contaminants in soil ecosystems, as well as pollution control and mitigation strategies.

The scope and aims of this Article Collection include, but are not limited to:
1. The occurrence, transport, and fate of microplastics in soils
2. Microplastics in soils: Analytical methods, characteristics, and pollution control
3. Sorption behavior of emerging contaminants onto microplastics/nanoplastics in soils
4. Ecological effects and potential risks of microplastics in soil-plant systems
5. Microplastics/nanoplastics and environmental pollutants: Key interactions and toxicology in soil environments

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Please contact Pamela Hohl ([email protected]) with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

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