Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MINAGRIS (MIcro- and NAno-Plastics in AGRIricultural Soils: sources, environmental fate and impacts on ecosystem services and overall sustainability)
Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2024-08-31
The MINAGRIS project, launched in September 2021, aims to contribute to healthy soils in Europe by providing a deeper understanding and tools to assess the impact of microplastics (MP) and nano-plastics (NP) on agricultural soil health.
MINAGRIS aims to develop a better understanding of any potentially harmful impacts of micro and nanoplastics (MNP) and other stressors to soil biodiversity, soil functions, related ecosystem services and agricultural productivity at the field level and related socio-economic consequences at farm level. MINAGRIS will assess the use of different plastic polymers in agricultural systems in 11 case study sites across Europe and identify the resulting types and concentrations of MPs and NPs and other stressors.
MINAGRIS is based on a multi-actor approach to engage stakeholders and identify needs, improving farmer and citizen awareness, joint development of novel strategies for reducing plastic contamination.
MINAGRIS aims to develop a better understanding of any potentially harmful impacts of micro and nanoplastics (MNP) and other stressors to soil biodiversity, soil functions, related ecosystem services and agricultural productivity at the field level and related socio-economic consequences at farm level. MINAGRIS will assess the use of different plastic polymers in agricultural systems in 11 case study sites across Europe and identify the resulting types and concentrations of MPs and NPs and other stressors.
MINAGRIS is based on a multi-actor approach to engage stakeholders and identify needs, improving farmer and citizen awareness, joint development of novel strategies for reducing plastic contamination.
Since September 2021, MINAGRIS partners have achieved five main results:
● 11 Case Study Sites: Multi-Actor Network Across Europe
MINAGRIS established Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) across 11 EU case study sites (CSS) to involve stakeholders from various levels—including local land users, farmer associations, regional authorities, and policymakers—to collaboratively address agricultural plastic use and contamination.
● Farm Typology and Plastic Practices
An inventory led by WR at national and EU levels summarized agricultural plastic use, revealing polyethylene (PE) film as the most common and potentially contaminating plastic. The improper removal of mulch films poses the highest contamination risk. PE mulch film is thus selected as the reference material for MINAGRIS studies on soil micro and nano-plastic (MNP) contamination.
● Monitoring and Data Management Plan
MINAGRIS partners developed a comprehensive Monitoring and Data Management Plan to systematically collect and harmonize data on plastic contamination across the 11 CSS sites. This includes 110 fields, where data on macro-plastics offer insights into potential contamination sources and serve as material for microbiome experiments under controlled conditions.
● Innovative Methodology for MNP Assessment
After testing three spectroscopy methods, MINAGRIS validated one that allows high-quality, standardized measurement of plastic polymers across different soil types and environments. This methodology ensures consistency in analyzing the accumulation and spread of plastics in agricultural soils.
● MPs and Organic Pollutant Effects on Soil Microbiota
Studies reveal that microplastics (MPs) combined with common pollutants like veterinary medicines and pesticides disrupt soil microbial diversity and functions. Results vary by soil type, with high-diversity soils showing greater resilience. These effects are being further studied at the field scale in three CSS sites across Europe.
These advancements enhance understanding of plastics’ impacts on soil ecosystems, with more results expected in the next reporting period.
● 11 Case Study Sites: Multi-Actor Network Across Europe
MINAGRIS established Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) across 11 EU case study sites (CSS) to involve stakeholders from various levels—including local land users, farmer associations, regional authorities, and policymakers—to collaboratively address agricultural plastic use and contamination.
● Farm Typology and Plastic Practices
An inventory led by WR at national and EU levels summarized agricultural plastic use, revealing polyethylene (PE) film as the most common and potentially contaminating plastic. The improper removal of mulch films poses the highest contamination risk. PE mulch film is thus selected as the reference material for MINAGRIS studies on soil micro and nano-plastic (MNP) contamination.
● Monitoring and Data Management Plan
MINAGRIS partners developed a comprehensive Monitoring and Data Management Plan to systematically collect and harmonize data on plastic contamination across the 11 CSS sites. This includes 110 fields, where data on macro-plastics offer insights into potential contamination sources and serve as material for microbiome experiments under controlled conditions.
● Innovative Methodology for MNP Assessment
After testing three spectroscopy methods, MINAGRIS validated one that allows high-quality, standardized measurement of plastic polymers across different soil types and environments. This methodology ensures consistency in analyzing the accumulation and spread of plastics in agricultural soils.
● MPs and Organic Pollutant Effects on Soil Microbiota
Studies reveal that microplastics (MPs) combined with common pollutants like veterinary medicines and pesticides disrupt soil microbial diversity and functions. Results vary by soil type, with high-diversity soils showing greater resilience. These effects are being further studied at the field scale in three CSS sites across Europe.
These advancements enhance understanding of plastics’ impacts on soil ecosystems, with more results expected in the next reporting period.
● Citizen science app. The Ready-to-use smartphone app is a tool for participative detecting and monitoring visually and recognisable plastic residues in soil, the societal impact of this app is high, different stakeholders as farmers, students, industry professionals are engaged and monitoring plastic residues in the soils of the 11 CSSs. Actual numbers indicate that the app has been downloaded by 827 persons on Android/Google, 1100 persons on iOS/Apple and 3300 institutions (schools, etc..) so a total of 5227 persons.
● Preliminary results on microplastics transport in soil columns have indicated that irrigation intensity enhances the 3 studied types of microplastics (LDPE, PBAT and starch-based plastic) vertical transport.
● Social impact for farmers practices transformation. Workshops with farmers are taking place, from the second half of 2023 until winter 2025, in those workshops engagement and awareness are expected to increase, once the farmers know the concentration on microplastics in their sampled fields.
● Socio-economic impact for the development of new solutions/adaptation of existing practices. Results from the questionnaires performed at the 11 CSSs will give insight into the actual practices on plastic use and their respective economical effect. Therefore, in the workshop's adaptation and implementation strategies will be discussed.
● Raised awareness on soil health and plastic pollution. Several experiments are carried out with soil invertebrates (micro, meso and macroinvertebrates), the obtained results will be presented in conferences, scientific papers and widespread dissemination media.
● Soil microcosm and pot experiments identified strong interactions between plastics and organic pollutants like pesticides and veterinary medicines that have undesirable effects on key soil microbial processes (e.g. N cycling) and the diversity of bacteria, fungi and protists, although the magnitude and the direction of the effects vary from soil to soil. Besides that, plastics strongly affect the dissipation of pesticides and veterinary medicines.
● More efficient methods to analyse NPs. The standardized method on microplastic measurement is being developed and validated; The NPs analysis method has been also tested and validated.
● Identified strains of the plastisphere -> pave the way towards future biotechnological development for plastic recycling. Isolation of microorganisms capable of degrading plastics is taking place, once the meta-analysis is developed and the selection of microorganisms is done, the first steps are settled into some alternatives for plastic recycling efficiency.
● Preliminary results on microplastics transport in soil columns have indicated that irrigation intensity enhances the 3 studied types of microplastics (LDPE, PBAT and starch-based plastic) vertical transport.
● Social impact for farmers practices transformation. Workshops with farmers are taking place, from the second half of 2023 until winter 2025, in those workshops engagement and awareness are expected to increase, once the farmers know the concentration on microplastics in their sampled fields.
● Socio-economic impact for the development of new solutions/adaptation of existing practices. Results from the questionnaires performed at the 11 CSSs will give insight into the actual practices on plastic use and their respective economical effect. Therefore, in the workshop's adaptation and implementation strategies will be discussed.
● Raised awareness on soil health and plastic pollution. Several experiments are carried out with soil invertebrates (micro, meso and macroinvertebrates), the obtained results will be presented in conferences, scientific papers and widespread dissemination media.
● Soil microcosm and pot experiments identified strong interactions between plastics and organic pollutants like pesticides and veterinary medicines that have undesirable effects on key soil microbial processes (e.g. N cycling) and the diversity of bacteria, fungi and protists, although the magnitude and the direction of the effects vary from soil to soil. Besides that, plastics strongly affect the dissipation of pesticides and veterinary medicines.
● More efficient methods to analyse NPs. The standardized method on microplastic measurement is being developed and validated; The NPs analysis method has been also tested and validated.
● Identified strains of the plastisphere -> pave the way towards future biotechnological development for plastic recycling. Isolation of microorganisms capable of degrading plastics is taking place, once the meta-analysis is developed and the selection of microorganisms is done, the first steps are settled into some alternatives for plastic recycling efficiency.