Microplastics pollution in the soil mulched by dust-proof nets: A case study in Beijing, China.

Abstract As a driving factor of global changes, microplastics have gradually attracted widespread attention. Although MPs are extensively studied in aquatic systems, their presence and fate in terrestrial systems and soil are not fully understood. In China, construction-land must be mulched by dust-proof nets to prevent and control fine particulate pollution, which may cause MPs pollution and increase ecological risks. In order to understand the pollution characteristics and sources of MP in the soil covered by dust nets, we conducted a case study in Beijing. Our results revealed that the abundance of MPs in soil mulched by dust-proof nets ranged from 272 to 13,752 items/kg. Large-sized particles (>1000 μm) made up a significant proportion (49.83%) of MPs in the study area. The dominant MP polymer types were polyethylene (50.12%) and polypropylene (41.25%). The accumulation of MPs in construction-site soil mulched by dust-proof nets (average, 4910.2 items/kg) was significantly higher (P