Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
Volume 19, Issue 6, Pages 4211-4224Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s10311-021-01297-6
Keywords
Microplastics; Groundwater soil origin; Polymer type; Shape; Impacts
Funding
- Research Institute for Earth Resources through the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Ministry of Education [2019R1A6A1A03033167]
- Korea Environment Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) through Measurement and Risk assessment Program for Management of Microplastics Program - Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE) [2020003110010]
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This article provides an overview of the sources, shapes, impacts, and mitigation strategies of microplastics in soil and groundwater, emphasizing the harmful effects on human health and the environment.
Plastic particles of less than 5 mm size, referred as microplastics, have recently become a major environmental issue. While microplastics are well known in marine and lake systems, there have been less investigations in soils and groundwater. Here we review the origin, shape, impact, and mitigation strategies of soil and groundwater microplastics. We found that littering is the main origin of microplastics in global topsoils, while greenhouses are the main source of microplastics in South Korea. Fibers and pellets are dominant microplastic shapes in soil and groundwater. Microplastic contamination of soil and groundwater is detrimental to human health, plants, nematodes, earthworms, and soil properties. Remediation methods include pyrolysis, replacing plastics by biodegradable plastics, plastic filtration, and subsequent chemical or biological degradation.
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