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Separation and Identification of Conventional Microplastics from Farmland Soils
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Distinctive factors driving microplastic distribution in arid zone ecosystems.

Fatema Al Maqbali1, Hassan Al Reasi2, Ahmed Al-Alawi3

  • 1Dept. of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman; Biology Education Section, Faculty of Education and Arts, Sohar University, Sohar, Oman.

The Science of the Total Environment
|June 17, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Flooding significantly increases microplastic (MP) abundance in arid river valleys, especially in flood retention dams. This research highlights how rainfall events redistribute MPs, impacting pollution levels in desert environments.

Keywords:
FloodingFluvialMicroplastic arid regionPolymerToxicity

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Geochemistry
  • Ecotoxicology

Background:

  • Microplastics (MPs) pose a global environmental threat, but their behavior in arid regions remains understudied.
  • Arid zones, covering 40% of Earth's land, present unique hydrological conditions (limited rain, intermittent streams, hydrophobic soils) influencing MP fate.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify spatial MP patterns in an Omani arid-zone fluvial valley (Wadi Al Khoud).
  • To assess the impact of a rainfall-induced flooding event on MP abundance, composition, and pollution indices.
  • To understand the role of land use and hydrological events in MP distribution in arid environments.

Main Methods:

  • Surface sediments were collected from 11 sites across diverse land-use zones before and after a major rainfall event.
  • Microplastics were extracted, characterized by size, shape, color, and polymer type.
  • Pollution and polymer toxicity indices were calculated to assess environmental risk.

Main Results:

  • MP concentrations varied significantly by site, land use, and sampling period, with a notable interaction with rainfall.
  • Flooding dramatically increased MP abundance, particularly in a flood-retention dam (1000% rise).
  • Land use influenced MP hotspots, shifting from agricultural/residential to flood retention areas post-flooding; fragments dominated, and smaller MPs (<0.05 mm) were most prevalent.

Conclusions:

  • Flooding, especially trapping in retention dams, is a key driver of MP distribution in arid-zone stream sediments.
  • Post-flood pollution indices indicate elevated toxicological risks.
  • Findings offer crucial insights for MP risk assessment and mitigation in arid environments.