Microplastics in agricultural soil : a case study of melon farms in Ayutthaya | |
| Author | Aryal, Puja |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.MPA-21-60 |
| Subject(s) | Plastics in agriculture Plastic scrap--Environmental aspects--Thailand--Ayutthaya Microplastics--Environmental aspects--Thailand--Ayutthaya Plastics--Environmental aspects--Thailand--Ayutthaya |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Marine Plastics Abatement |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Plastics enter the soil environment through the variety of sources such as use of plastics in different agricultural activities, application of sewage sludge and compost as fertilizer in farmlands, dumping and littering of plastic wastes, flooding and overall runoff. Soil is considered as one of the major reservoirs of microplastics but their abundance in the soil is poorly understood. This study aims to find the abundance of microplastics in agricultural soil in the melon farms using plastic mulch film for 20 years and commercial compost, and the contribution of microplastics by the use of plastic mulch in melon farm. Three soil samples from each melon fields, barren land and commercial compost were collected for the microplastic analysis. The microplastics in the samples were extracted by density separation and organic digestion by Fenton’s reagent. Significant numbers of microplastic were found from the soil samples from melon farms (60-136 items/kg of soil), barren land (51 items/kg) and commercial compost (53 items/kg). microplastics extracted were of three types i.e., films, fibers and fragments, among which films were the highest, and different colors and sizes. Black microplastic films were obtained significantly (54%- 66%) on the soil samples from melon farms where plastic mulch was used whereas were absent on the soil samples from barren land and commercial compost. Later FTIR analysis for the extracted black microplastic film was done and the result showed that the polymer type was same as the plastics used in the farm as mulch i.e., HDPE. The melon farm was away from the industrial and residential area and proves that the black microplastics films were obtained by the disintegration of plastic mulch film in the farm. This result showed that the agricultural activities can contaminate the agricultural soils with the microplastics. |
| Year | 2021 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Marine Plastic Abatement (MPA) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ekbordin Winijkul |
| Examination Committee(s) | Visvanathan, Chettiyappan;Datta, Avishek |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Japan |
| Degree | Research studies project report (M.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2021 |