Microplastic accumulation and transport in agricultural soils with long-term sewage sludge amendments

Land application of sewage sludge brings microplastic contamination to soil. However, studies regarding the occurrence and mobility of sludge-borne microplastics in soil are insufficient. In the present study, based on an experimental field, the effects of sludge application amount on the accumulation and migration of microplastics in 0-20 (upper) and 20-40 cm (lower) soil layers were evaluated. After 16 years of continuous sludge application (36 t/ha per year), the microplastic content and migration ratio in upper soil reached 6811 particles/kg and 148 %, which was about 5 and 20 times, respectively, higher than that of the control soil without sludge. The microplastics in upper and lower soil layers, were mainly 0.2-0.5 mm in size, mostly fibrous in shape, primarily transparent in color, and predominantly rayon in composition. Microplastic surfaces may persistently adsorb clay minerals and iron/titanium oxides from soil, posing potential environmental risks. Sludge application had a significant positive correlation with soil microplastic abundance, resulting in a good fit of predictive model constructed for microplastic accumulation in sludge-amended soils. These findings help to improve the knowledge on environmental behavior of microplastics in sludge-amended soil, and can provide a scientific basis for the regulation of microplastic pollution during sludge land application.