Skip to main content

Fate and Transport of Nano- and Microplastic in Terrestrial Ecosystems


EMSL Project ID
51632

Abstract

Nano- and microplastics are ubiquitous in many consumer products and released to the environment through rub-off or improperly disposed waste. Little is known about quantity, distribution, and fate of nano- and microplastics in terrestrial ecosystems. It is estimated that the amount of plastics deposited in terrestrial systems exceeds the one in the oceans. A large fraction of the plastics transferred to terrestrial ecosystems is believed through land-application of biosolids. Plastic not only consists of organic polymers, but also contains additives, such as nanoparticles, which could cause harm to the environment. The objective of this proposal is to characterize the fate of nano- and microplastics in terrestrial systems. Specifically, we will (1) quantify and characterize nano- and microplastics in biosolids and soil matrices, and (2) characterize whether nanoparticles particles, using TiO2 as a model, are released during deterioration of plastics in the environments. TiO2 nanoparticles are a common plastic additive to give plastic a white color. We will use soil samples were biosolids have been applied for 20 years, and as such likely contain nano- and microplastics. We will use scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, FTIR and Raman microscopy, and single-particle mass spectrometry to analyze environmental samples containing nano- and microplastics and TiO2.

Project Details

Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2020-12-01
End Date
2021-12-31
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Markus Flury
Institution
Washington State University

Co-Investigator(s)

Carolyn Pearce
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Team Members

Douglas Hayes
Institution
University of Tennessee

Related Publications

Report of Exploratory Proposal 51632
Yu, Y., H. Y. Sintim, A. F. Astner, D. G. Hayes, A. I. Bary, A. Zelenyuk, O. Qafoku, L. Kovarik, and M. Flury, Enhanced transport of TiO2 in unsaturated sand and soil after re- lease from biodegradable plastic during composting, Environ. Sci. Technol., 56, 2398–2406, 2022.