Nicolas Weithmann, Julia N. Möller, Martin G. J. Löder, Sarah Piehl, Christian Laforsch, and Ruth Freitag

Organic fertilizer as a vehicle for the entry of microplastic into the environment

Science Advances  04 Apr 2018:
Vol. 4, no. 4, eaap8060
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aap8060

Abstract:

The contamination of the environment with microplastic, defined as
particles smaller than 5 mm, has emerged as a global challenge because
it may pose risks to biota and public health. Current research focuses
predominantly on aquatic systems, whereas comparatively little is known
regarding the sources, pathways, and possible accumulation of plastic
particles in terrestrial ecosystems. We investigated the potential of
organic fertilizers from biowaste fermentation and composting as an
entry path for microplastic particles into the environment. Particles
were classified by size and identified by attenuated total
reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. All fertilizer
samples from plants converting biowaste contained plastic particles, but
amounts differed significantly with substrate pretreatment, plant, and
waste (for example, household versus commerce) type. In contrast,
digestates from agricultural energy crop digesters tested for comparison
contained only isolated particles, if any. Among the most abundant
synthetic polymers observed were those used for common consumer
products. Our results indicate that depending on pretreatment, organic
fertilizers from biowaste fermentation and composting, as applied in
agriculture and gardening worldwide, are a neglected source of
microplastic in the environment.

http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/4/eaap8060.full.pdf

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14h9LP_WRXvQ4KpiJF4-NulGJPRj0bObv
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/4/eaap8060