Ruimin Qi

Southern University of Science and Technology

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Changrong Yan

Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture

Davey L. Jones

Bangor University

Yuanyuan Tang

University of South China

Yihan Chi

Southern University of Science and Technology

Wenqing He

Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Zhen Li

Nanjing Agricultural University

Fusuo Zhang

China Agricultural University

Qin Liu

Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture

Jinrui Zhang

Tianjin University

Hanyue Zhang

South China Agricultural University

Cooperative Institutions

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

China Agricultural University

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Southern University of Science and Technology

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture

Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning

Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Jilin University

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Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China

Figshare (2023)

Siyang Ren Kai Wang Jinrui Zhang Jingjing Li Hanyue Zhang

Plastic debris (including macro-plastics, microplastics (MPs), and nanoplastics), defined as an emerging contaminant, has been proven to significantly affect soil ecosystem functioning. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to robustly quantify the pollution situation and potential sources of plastics in soils. China as the leading producer and user of agricultural plastics is analyzed as a typical case study to highlight the current situation of farmland macro-plastics and MPs. Our study summarized information on the occurrence and abundance of macro-plastics and MPs in Chinese farmland soils for the first time based on 163 publications with 728 sample sites. The results showed that the average concentration of macro-plastics, and the abundance of MPs in Chinese farmlands were 103 kg ha⁻¹ and 4537 items kg⁻¹ (dry soil), respectively. In addition, this study synthesized the latest scientific evidence on sources of macro-plastics and MPs in farmland soils. Agricultural plastic films and organic wastes are the most reported sources, indicating that they contribute significantly to plastic debris in agricultural soils. Furthermore, the modeling methods for quantifying macro-plastics and MPs in soils and estimating the stock and flow of plastic materials within agricultural systems were also summarized.

Macro

10.6084/m9.figshare.24187491

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Unraveling Microplastic-Biofilm Nexus in Aquaculture: Diversity and Functionality of Microbial Communities and Their Effect on Plastic Traits

ACS ES&T Water (2024)

Siqing Wang Yihan Chi Bixi Zhao Ruimin Qi Yu Xia

Microplastics (MPs) serve as unconventional platforms for microorganisms and vectors for pollutants and pathogens in aquatic ecosystems. This study explored the dynamics of microbial colonization and biofilm formation on MPs, a key factor in their ecological impact, using five common MP types─poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polylactic acid (PLA), and polypropylene (PP)─incubated in an aquaculture pond for 128 days. The biofilm biomass increased by 173–617% compared with original samples, especially PP- and PE-MPs (OD 595 nm = 0.30 and 0.28, respectively). Driven by the inherent properties of MPs, biofilm biomass and microbial community structure differed significantly across the MP types, leading to varied changes in hydrophobicity and surface morphology. Differences in physicochemical properties cause each MP type to selectively enrich specific microbes, profoundly influencing biofilm formation and MP degradation potential. Notably, PP- and PE-MPs supported rich, mature biofilms conducive to carbon cycling and biofilm development, while PET-MPs attracted more abundant plastic degraders, like Pseudomonas. The study also highlighted the enrichment of pathogens on MPs, indicating potential environmental and human health risk. These findings illuminate the complex interactions between MP characteristics and biofilm dynamics, enhancing understanding of MPs' environmental behaviors and fates in aquatic settings.

10.1021/acsestwater.4c00697

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Complex Release Dynamics of Microplastic Additives: An Interplay of Additive Degradation and Microplastic Aging

Journal of Hazardous Materials (2025)

Zhe Xu Jianshuai Zhang Ruimin Qi Qi Liu Hongmei Cao

Degradation

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137711

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Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology (2023)

Siyang Ren Kai Wang Jinrui Zhang Jingjing Li Hanyue Zhang

AbstractPlastic debris (including macro-plastics, microplastics (MPs), and nanoplastics), defined as an emerging contaminant, has been proven to significantly affect soil ecosystem functioning. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to robustly quantify the pollution situation and potential sources of plastics in soils. China as the leading producer and user of agricultural plastics is analyzed as a typical case study to highlight the current situation of farmland macro-plastics and MPs. Our study summarized information on the occurrence and abundance of macro-plastics and MPs in Chinese farmland soils for the first time based on 163 publications with 728 sample sites. The results showed that the average concentration of macro-plastics, and the abundance of MPs in Chinese farmlands were 103 kg ha−1 and 4537 items kg−1 (dry soil), respectively. In addition, this study synthesized the latest scientific evidence on sources of macro-plastics and MPs in farmland soils. Agricultural plastic films and organic wastes are the most reported sources, indicating that they contribute significantly to plastic debris in agricultural soils. Furthermore, the modeling methods for quantifying macro-plastics and MPs in soils and estimating the stock and flow of plastic materials within agricultural systems were also summarized.Keywords: Abundancefarmland soilsmacro-plasticsmicroplasticsquantitative methodsource apportionmentHANDLING EDITORS: Hyunjung Kim and Jörg Rinklebe Disclosure statementThe authors report there are no competing interests to declare.Additional informationFundingThis research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant [number 42277097]; the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Natural Environment Research Council project, "Do agricultural microplastics undermine food security and sustainable development in less economically developed countries?" under Grant [NE/V005871/1]; the International Cooperation and Exchange of the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant [NSFC-UNEP: 32261143459], and the High-level Team Project of China Agricultural University.

Macro

10.1080/10643389.2023.2259275

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Citations (69)

Study on College English Teaching Design Based on Cross-cultural Communication

Journal of International Education and Development (2021)

Ruimin Qi

世界科学出版社（World Science Publishing-WSP）立足国际，积极配合中国“走出去”出版战略，大力推进版权输出与引进，并不断拓展国际间的交流与合作，取得显著成绩。WSP国际图书出版项目力倡中国科研人员出版英文图书，出版社具有丰富的国际传播资源与雄厚的编辑、翻译、出版力量，拥有一批著名的中外翻译专家、出版专家，及一支精通国际出版的编辑、翻译和国际营销队伍。探索“科学进步”与“社会进步”是人类永恒主题，WSP推崇以科学信仰引领学术方向，遵循各国法律和地方法规，能够协助您优质、快捷、低

Cross-Cultural Communication

College English

10.47297/wspiedwsp2516-250024.20210503

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Behavior of microplastics and plastic film residues in the soil environment: A critical review

The Science of The Total Environment (2019)

Ruimin Qi Davey L. Jones Zhen Li Qin Liu Changrong Yan

Plastic pollution

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134722

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Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastics in Soils from Greenhouse and Open-Field Cultivation Using Plastic Mulch Film

Ruimin Qi Yuanyuan Tang Davey L. Jones Wenqing He Changrong Yan

There is a major knowledge gap concerning the extent of microplastic pollution in agronomic regions of China, which represent a plastic use hotspot. This study investigated the characteristics of microplastics distributed in agricultural soils from three typical regions (Beijing (BJ), Shandong (SD), and Xinjiang (XJ)) with two plastic film mulching modes (greenhouse (G) and conventional field-based film mulching (M)) in China. The average abundance of microplastics under G and M modes was 3.60×104 items kg-1 and 3.01×104 items kg-1, respectively, and the estimated weight of microplastics per kg of dry soils in BJ, SD, and XJ was 3.12 mg kg-1, 5.63 mg kg-1, and 7.99 mg kg-1, respectively. Microplastics in farmland were mainly of small particle size (50 to 250 μm), with their abundance decreasing with increasing particle size. Among the microplastics detected, polyethylene and polypropylene were the two dominant types present, accounting for 50.0% and 19.7%, respectively. In addition, plastic film mulching mode (G vs. M) had a stronger effect on microplastic distribution than agronomic region. This research provides key data for an assessment of the environmental risk of microplastics and supports the development of guidelines for the sustainable use of agricultural plastic film.

Plastic mulch

Plastic film

10.2139/ssrn.4500461

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Citations (1)

Occurrence and Characteristics of Microplastics in Soils of Greenhouse and Open-Field Cultivation Using Plastic Mulch Film

Ruimin Qi Yuanyuan Tang Davey L. Jones Wenqing He Changrong Yan

There is a major knowledge gap concerning the extent of microplastic pollution in agronomic regions of China, which represent a plastic use hotspot. This study investigated the characteristics of microplastics distributed in agricultural soils of three typical regions (Beijing (BJ), Shandong (SD), and Xinjiang (XJ)) with two plastic film mulching modes (greenhouse (G) and conventional field-based film mulching (M)) in China. The average abundance of microplastic under G and M mode was 3.60×104 particles kg-1 and 3.01×104 particles kg-1, respectively; and the estimated weight of microplastics per kg of dry soils in BJ, SD, and XJ was 3.12 mg kg-1, 5.63 mg kg-1, and 7.99 mg kg-1, respectively. Microplastics in farmland were mainly of a small particle size (50 to 250 μm), with their abundance decreasing with increasing particle size. Among the microplastics detected, polyethylene and polypropylene were the two dominant types present, accounting for 50.0% and 19.7%, respectively. In addition, plastic film mulching mode (G vs. M) had a stronger effect on microplastic distribution than agronomic region. This research provides key data to support the development of guidelines for the sustainable use of agricultural plastic film and an assessment of the environmental risk of microplastics.

Plastic mulch

Plastic film

10.2139/ssrn.4421198

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Field test on the biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based mulch films in soil

Polymer Testing (2020)

Ruimin Qi Davey L. Jones Qiuyun Liu Qin Liu Zhen Li

The use of plastic much films has been fundamental to promoting food production in many regions of the world. However, concern is growing about the progressive accumulation of plastic residues in soil after crop harvest and its subsequent impact on soil health and potential to enter the food chain. Although biodegradable films have been developed to prevent these problems, it is still unclear whether they are environmentally benign. Here we evaluated the physical and chemical breakdown of four commercial poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based biodegradable mulch films (BMF1, BMF2, BMF3 and BMF4) in an agricultural soil over a 26-month period. Based on visual examination, degradation followed the series BMF4 > BMF1, BMF2 > BMF3. Importantly, microplastic residues (fragments <5 mm) still remained in the soil of all 4 plastic types after 2 years, suggesting that they are likely to accumulate over time if used on an annual basis. Viscosimetry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were used to characterise the breakdown process. Our results indicated that the degradation of the mulch film after burial in agricultural soil may be linked to the nature of the polymer but also to its manufacturing formulation. Although the peak changes of polyester in the infrared spectrum were not distinct, the plastic films showed other signs of degradation including a reduction in intrinsic viscosity after burial in soil. The different degradation rates of BMF1 and BMF2 at the molecular level may be due to the different CaCO3 contents. In conclusion, under field conditions, we show that slight variations in the formulations of commercial biodegradable mulch films leads to very different persistence rates in soil. Further, we conclude that their slow rate of degradation will ultimately lead to their progressive accumulation in soil if used repeatedly.

Adipate

Thermogravimetric analysis

Degradation

Plastic mulch

Biodegradable plastic

10.1016/j.polymertesting.2020.107009

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Citations (43)

Effect thresholds for the earthworm Eisenia fetida: Toxicity comparison between conventional and biodegradable microplastics

The Science of The Total Environment (2021)

Weili Ding Zhen Li Ruimin Qi Davey L. Jones Qiuyun Liu

Eisenia fetida

Bioplastic

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146884

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Citations (149)