Confirmation of microplastic accumulation in habitual usage organic and inorganic fertilizers

, Kannan Kayalvizhi R.

Abstract Microplastic is a small piece of plastic that is polluting the environment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in U.S. classify microplastics as less than 5mm in diameter and into two categories, like primary microplastics are manufactured as direct of human material product and the secondary microplastics are derived from the breakdown of larger plastic debris. This fragmentation is caused by chemical and physical aging, as well as through biodegradation mechanisms. Microplastics have become a global environmental concern because of their ubiquitous presence. Compared to plastic pollution in the marine and freshwater ecosystems, that in the soil ecosystem has been highly neglected. Terrestrial ecosystems under human influence, such as agroecosystems, are likely to be contaminated by plastic debris. In this present study, different types of organic and inorganic fertilizers are collected from various places to analyze the microplastic accumulation from those fertilizers. The organic fertilizers are biogranules, vermicompost, Huminol-G and Microzyme –G and the inorganic fertilizer like super phosphate, urea and potash, collected both organic and inorganic fertilizers were based on their stereomicroscopic structure and also for quantification and characterization of their chemical nature by FTIR and SEM analysis. Overall the results was shows that those fertilizers having microplastic contamination in considerable levels. Further research is needed to fully reveal the fate and ecological risks of microplastics in agricultural soils and necessary action is required to control microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems.

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