Microplastics pollution modulated by farming regimes under multi-scenarios.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Soil Science
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Microplastic (MP) pollution poses a significant environmental challenge, with difficulties in long-term, real-time distribution monitoring.
• Agricultural soils are a potential reservoir for MPs, impacting ecosystems and potentially human health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the abundance, size distribution, and key drivers of MPs in Chinese agricultural soils.
• To predict future trends of MPs in agricultural soils under various emission scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nationwide field data from China.
• Employed machine learning techniques to analyze MPs abundance, size, and influencing factors.
• Modeled future MPs trends under sustainable development scenarios (SDSs), business-as-usual (BAU), and high-forcing scenarios (HFSs).

Main Results:

• Average MPs abundance in agricultural soils was 2,176 items/kg in 2020, with most particles < 1 mm.
• History of mulching film use (HistMF) was the dominant factor for MPs abundance and size.
• Climate variables (radiation, temperature, humidity) exacerbated MP fragmentation.

Conclusions:

• Urgent need to strengthen mulching film production and plastic waste management in farmlands.
• Regions with extreme climates require targeted MP control strategies.
• Scientific data supports evidence-based policies for mitigating MP pollution in agricultural soils.