A study has found that microplastics contribute to poor soil health and release heat-trapping gas into the atmosphere.
What’s happening?
Researchers at the Institute of Urban Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences looked into the effect of various microplastics on soil.
Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic often not visible to the naked eye. They have been found everywhere you can imagine, from the human body to the deep sea.
Before now, the effects of microplastics on soil have been understudied. However, these particles are nearly inescapable.
The research, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, discovered that increased presence of microplastics, including bits of polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride, was harmful in soil.
Microplastics cause the bacteria in soil to increase denitrification activity. This means the organisms convert too much of the nitrates in the dirt into nitrogen gas. The soil loses important nutrients, while the gas releases nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to rising global temperatures.
As Phys.org shared, the compound is 300 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide.
Why is soil health important?
When soil health is compromised, our global food supply suffers. Microplastics exacerbate this issue, which worsens growing food insecurity.
The nitrous oxide production caused by microplastic pollution in soil also contributes to heat-trapping gases that supercharge extreme weather events. These natural disasters further strain access to food.
Microplastics are bad for soil health and human health. One study found that these particles can negatively impact reproductive, digestive, and respiratory health. One way to combat the production of more of these tiny pollutants is to reduce our personal plastic usage.
What’s being done about microplastics and soil health?
This is one of the first studies exploring the impact of various microplastic mixtures on dirt. It serves as a useful first step in understanding how farmers can manage their soil despite this pollutant.
“Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the ecological effects of MP contamination on soil health and nutrient cycling,” the scientists wrote in their study. “More importantly, they underscore the need to incorporate MP diversity into soil management strategies to mitigate nitrogen loss and safeguard soil ecosystem services.”
Another research team has discovered a way to use a common farming byproduct to siphon out microplastics from dirt. It found that biochar could remove 92.6% of plastic particles from their study sample.
This is just another example of how scientists are helping to find solutions to some of our most pressing climate issues.
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