Baseline assessment of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from the coastal stretches of Karnataka and Goa, Southwestern India.

ABSTRACT: Microplastic (MP) contamination in terrestrial ecosystems-particularly in agricultural soils-remains an underexplored environmental concern in India, an agriculture-driven economy. This study assessed MP contamination in paddy fields across 15 sites in Udupi (Karnataka) and Goa, with soil samples collected from the surface and at three subsurface depths (10, 20, and 30 cm). MPs were extracted using density separation, identified via stereomicroscopy and ATR-FTIR, and further characterized using SEM-EDS to examine surface morphology and elemental composition. Microplastics were detected in all samples, with higher concentrations observed in Goa across most depths. In Goa, surface soils contained an average of 100.93 ± 64.19 pieces/kg, while subsurface layers at 10, 20, and 30 cm recorded 90

SUBMITTER: Mahreen L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12394264 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature