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Sammanfattning

Soil is the largest sink of microplastic (MP) in terrestrial ecosystems, yet little isknown about the transport of MP in soils and its effect on water flow. Since pristineMP can generally be considered water repellent, the transport of MP and water floware subject to feedback processes. To investigate MP transport in porous media andthe interactions with water dynamics, we applied neutron and X-ray imaging meth-ods to columns filled with mixtures of sand (700–1200 µm) and MP (polyethyleneterephthalate, 20–75 µm). Simultaneous neutron and X-ray CT were used to imageMP distribution in 3D before and after each experiment, while time-series neutronradiography was applied to image water distribution during repeated wetting and dry-ing cycles. The imaging revealed that MP impacted water infiltration. High local MPcontent caused an initial delay in infiltration, plausibly due to water repellency, butwas eventually bypassed by water flow. Rapid and preferential propagation of thewetting front as well as reduced local water saturation above the wetting front werethe outcome. The discrepancy between the initial delay and rapid stage infiltrationwas increased with an increase in total MP content. No significant vertical transportof MP could be observed during two wetting and drying cycles, probably since waterbypassed regions containing MP. In conclusion, the interactions between hydropho-bic MP and water impact the infiltration of water, with implications for the retentionand fate of MP in soils.

Publicerad i

Vadose Zone Journal
2026, volym: 25, nummer: 2, artikelnummer: e70092

SLU författare

UKÄ forskningsämne

Miljövetenskap
Markvetenskap

Publikationens identifierare

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70092

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146655