scholarly journals Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: A Case Study in Cultivation of Watermelons and Canning Tomatoes

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2168
Author(s):  
Ekavi A. Isari ◽  
Dimitrios Papaioannou ◽  
Ioannis K. Kalavrouziotis ◽  
Hrissi K. Karapanagioti

Thirty soil samples were collected from fields that have been used for cultivating watermelons and canning tomatoes for over 10 years. The microplastics (MPs) within these samples were separated with a density floatation method and the use of sieves and filters. The microplastics found were black and originated from the black agricultural mulch film (BMF) used in these cultivations. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed that these microplastics are of the same material as the virgin BMF and as a virgin polyethylene film used as blank. SEM images showed that used BMF and MPs found in soil were oxidized by their exposure to sunlight and create fibrous edges that lead to the creation of smaller size MPs. The number of MPs found in fields with watermelon (301 ± 140 items kg−1) were more than four times higher than in fields with canning tomatoes (69 ± 38 items kg−1) due to the double planting each year and to the second planting last year being closer to the sampling episode. All the sample sites were collected from agricultural fields away from the industrial area; therefore, these results prove that agricultural activities might have caused contamination of soils with MPs. This is corroborated even more by the fact that no MPs were found in five extra samples that were taken from uncultivated areas as blanks.

2012 ◽  
Vol 518-523 ◽  
pp. 2806-2811
Author(s):  
Wen Juan Jia ◽  
Ying Yan ◽  
Ying Su ◽  
Ming Da Liu

To identify the concentration and spatial distribution of cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils, 207 soil samples were collected from Chaoyang and analyzed based on pollution index methods and GIS. The concentration of Cd in the soils of Chaoyang ranged from 0.030 to 0.687 mg/kg, with an average concentration of 0.246 mg/kg. The evaluated results of Cd in agricultural soils of Chaoyang shows that the pollution excess rate is 2.90%, the total agricultural soil environment of Cd was still clean, but some areas were accumulated by Cd. The differences between two evaluated methods indicate that evaluated criteria had a direct impact on the evaluation results, compared to integrated pollution index, the Geoaccumulation index method was more accurate and objective.


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 916-929
Author(s):  
Eligio Malusá ◽  
Małgorzata Tartanus ◽  
Witold Danelski ◽  
Artur Miszczak ◽  
Ewelina Szustakowska ◽  
...  

Abstract The analysis of 142 agricultural soil samples collected in organic farms across Poland with the intent to evaluate the level of DDT contamination resulted in more than 80% of the soils containing DDT. The ΣDDT (sum of all metabolites and isomers) concentration ranged between 0.005 and 0.383 mg/kg ΣDDT, with an average value of 0.064 mg/kg ΣDDT. However, the majority of plant samples collected from the crops growing on the sampled soils did not contain detectable DDT residues. The high DDT pollution levels detected in samples from four voivodeships (regions) among those monitored have been hypothesised to be linked to horticultural productions occurring to the sampled fields and typical of those regions, particularly in big-sized farms, during the period of DDT application, as well as the number of pesticides landfills present in these voivodeships. The elaboration of the o,p′-DDT/p,p′-DDT and DDT/(DDE + DDD) ratios to appraise the source or the period of contamination suggested that the contamination originated from past use of DDT rather than from impurities of more recent applications of other formulated substances. Such outcome thus suggests that the risk of contamination of organic products is likely derived from general environmental pollution levels rather than from the use of unauthorised substances in organic farming productions. Data from a trial with artificial contamination of soils indicated that using the DDT/(DDE + DDD) ratio in the presence of a low level of contamination could be less reliable than in highly contaminated soils.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 373
Author(s):  
Jonathan Suazo-Hernández ◽  
Erwin Klumpp ◽  
Nicolás Arancibia-Miranda ◽  
Patricia Poblete-Grant ◽  
Alejandra Jara ◽  
...  

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) present in consumer products are being released into the agricultural systems. There is little information about the direct effect of ENPs on phosphorus (P) availability, which is an essential nutrient for crop growthnaturally occurring in agricultural soils. The present study examined the effect of 1, 3, and 5% doses of Cu0 or Ag0 ENPs stabilized with L-ascorbic acid (suspension pH 2–3) on P ad- and desorption in an agricultural Andisol with total organic matter (T-OM) and with partial removal of organic matter (R-OM) by performing batch experiments. Our results showed that the adsorption kinetics data of H2PO4− on T-OM and R-OM soil samples with and without ENPs were adequately described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) and Elovich models. The adsorption isotherm data of H2PO4− from T-OM and R-OM soil samples following ENPs addition were better fitted by the Langmuir model than the Freundlich model. When the Cu0 or Ag0 ENPs doses were increased, the pH value decreased and H2PO4− adsorption increased on T-OM and R-OM. The H2PO4− desorption (%) was lower with Cu0 ENPs than Ag0 ENPs. Overall, the incorporation of ENPs into Andisols generated an increase in P retention, which may affect agricultural crop production.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo Souza Valladares ◽  
Otávio Antônio de Camargo ◽  
José Ruy Porto de Carvalho ◽  
Alessandra Maria Cia Silva

Agricultural management with chemicals may contaminate the soil with heavy metals. The objective of this study was to apply Principal Component Analysis and geoprocessing techniques to identify the origin of the metals Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cr and Cd as potential contaminants of agricultural soils. The study was developed in an area of vineyard cultivation in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Soil samples were collected and GPS located under different uses and coverings. The metal concentrations in the soils were determined using the DTPA method. The Cu and Zn content was considered high in most of the samples, and was larger in the areas cultivated with vineyards that had been under the application of fungicides for several decades. The concentrations of Cu and Zn were correlated. The geoprocessing techniques and the Principal Component Analysis confirmed the enrichment of the soil with Cu and Zn because of the use and management of the vineyards with chemicals in the preceding decades.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 776-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert Ssegane ◽  
Colleen Zumpf ◽  
M. Cristina Negri ◽  
Patty Campbell ◽  
Justin P. Heavey ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 75-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha J Langley-Turnbaugh ◽  
Nancy R Gordon ◽  
Thomas Lambert

Maine currently has the second fastest growing asthma rate in the nation- 9.4% of the adult population has asthma and one out of eight children is affected. The factors behind this increase are poorly understood, but previous reports suggest that biologically soluble metal ions from particulate matter (PM10) may play a role in asthma episodes. In an effort to study this issue, we first identified geographic and temporal trends in Maine asthma hospitalizations. Clinical data show a strong fall peak in asthma admissions with weaker peaks in January and May, and a summer low in asthma admissions. Asthma admissions are also higher in the cities than in the rural areas in Maine. We then analysed PM10 collected by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in three different Maine locations in the years 2000 and 2001, at times when clinical asthma data showed peaks and during the summer low period. We also collected soil samples in the same locations. The PM10 and soils were analysed for 10 metals by acid extraction to determine total metal content and then with cell culture medium, DMEM/F12+CCS growth medium, to determine metal biosolubility. Our results showed that Mn, Cu, Pb, As, V, Ni and Al were present in the Maine PM samples. V, Ni and Pb showed seasonal variation, while the others were relatively constant throughout the year. Pb and Al did not appear to be soluble in the biological medium. There was also variation from location to location with the urban area showing the highest concentrations for most metals. Aluminium was present in the highest concentration in soil samples, followed by Mn and V. Only Cu was biologically available in soils. We determined from M/Al ratios that most of the PM10 did not originate from local crustal material.


2018 ◽  
Vol 778 ◽  
pp. 28-32
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shahzad ◽  
Tanveer Manzoor ◽  
Qanita Tayyaba ◽  
Ammad Hussain Qureshi

Presented results report the findings of a case study carried out to determine the possible factors that lead to the twisting of tail rotor shaft. The structural materials of the shaft was evaluated in terms of microstructural analysis and mechanical properties to rule out any material fault. The SEM images showed that the localized fractures at twist ends occurred without any significant plastic deformation. Moreover, there was no evidence of fatigue. Such behavior suggests that twist occurred under impact / high strain rate loading. Such loading conditions are not possible during the event to ground hitting. The Ansys simulation confirmed that the observed twisting can increase the stress at localized point in excess of UTS and cause fracture.


SOIL ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Czarnecki ◽  
R.-A. Düring

Abstract. Essential and non-essential metals occur in soils as a result of weathering, industrial processes, fertilization, and atmospheric deposition. Badly adapted cultivation of agricultural soils (declining pH value, application of unsuitable fertilizers) can enhance the mobility of metals and thereby increase their concentrations in agricultural products. As the enrichment of metals in soils occurs over long time periods, monitoring of the long-term impact of fertilization is necessary to assess metal accumulation in agricultural soils. The main objective of this study was to test the effects of different mineral fertilizer variations on soil properties (pH, Corg, and cation exchange capacity (CEC)) and pseudo-total and mobile metal contents of soils after 14 years of fertilizer application and to determine residual effects of the fertilization 8 years after cessation of fertilizer treatment. Soil samples were taken from a field experiment which was carried out at four different locations (210, 260, 360, and 620 m above sea level) in Hesse, Germany. During the study, a significant decrease in soil pH and an evident increase in soil carbon content and cation exchange capacity with fertilization were determined. The CEC of the soils was closely related to their organic C contents. Moreover, pseudo- and mobile metal (Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn) contents in the soils increased due to application of 14 years of mineral fertilizer treatments (N, P, NP, and NPK) when compared to control plots. Eight years after termination of the fertilization in the soil samples taken from soil profiles of the fertilized plots (NPK) for monitoring the residual effects of the fertilizer application, a decrease of 82.6, 54.2, 48.5, 74.4, and 56.9% in pseudo-total Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn contents, respectively, was determined.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document