Microplastics in agricultural soils in China: Sources, impacts and solutions

The detection of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils has raised alarms on their potential impacts on agri-cultural production, particularly in China where agriculture has great importance for domestic consumption and export. This review aims to present the abundance, sources and impacts of MPs in the agricultural soils of China. It has the novelty of synthesizing sustainable agronomic practices to reduce MPs pollution of agricultural soils based on the sources identified. According to the extant study, the abundance of MPs in the agricultural soils in China ranged from 4.94 items/kg in the lower reaches of Yangtze River to 40,800 items/kg in Yunnan Province. The MPs were predominantly <= 1 mm and were mainly composed of fragments, films and fibers. Polyethylene and polypropylene MPs were most reported. Plastic mulching films were the most significant source of MPs in agricultural soils, followed by abandoned greenhouses and the use of organic fertilizers containing fugitive MPs or whose sources were often MPs-polluted. MPs were found to alter soil physicochemical properties for instance, water flow, water-stable aggregates, soil aggregation, soil pH, bulk density and nutrient contents. MPs also affect soil biota through changing the richness and diversity of soil microbial community while retarding growth and disrupting physiological functions of soil macrofauna. The effects of MPs on crops vary and range from alteration of biomass, metabolism and nutrient demands to impacted photosynthesis. Sustainable solutions include the use of grass clippings - straw mix as organic mulches, the use of compost as soil amendment in conjunction with grass-straw mix and incorporation of weed-suppressing biomass into compost, the use of jute and biodegradable plastics for greenhouses, proper decommissioning of abandoned greenhouses as well as setting standards for allowable MPs contents in organic fertilizers and irrigation water.

Automated summary

The detection of microplastics in agricultural soils in China has raised concerns due to their potential impacts on agricultural production. This review provides a summary of the abundance, sources, and impacts of microplastics in the country's agricultural soils, as well as sustainable agronomic practices to mitigate their pollution. The study found that microplastics were present in varying amounts, with the highest concentration observed in Yunnan Province. Plastic mulching films were identified as the major source of microplastics in agricultural soils, followed by abandoned greenhouses and the use of organic fertilizers containing microplastics. The presence of microplastics in soils was found to alter soil properties and affect soil biota, as well as impact crop growth and nutrient demands. Sustainable solutions proposed include the use of organic mulches, proper decommissioning of abandoned greenhouses, and setting standards for allowable microplastics contents in fertilizers and irrigation water.