IN RECENT years, researchers have started to unveil the wide spread of microplastics in the environment. Improperly disposed plastics, particularly single-use plastics, break down over time and leave behind these minuscule fragments that measure less than 0.5 cm. In India, where plastic waste generation has more than doubled in five years, according to the 2020-21 annual report of the Central Pollution Control Board, microplastics have permeated various ecosystems, including agricultural lands.
Research shows these particles could have an adverse impact on ecosystems. A 2018 study published in the journal Global Change Biology by scientists from Germany suggests that microplastics pollute land all across the world, and can harm the health of the microorganisms in soil. This can particularly pose grave threat to agricultural land, where the health of the soil ecosystem has greater implications on crops and livelihoods of local communities.
To understand whether microplastic pollution is prevalent in the serene landscape of Puducherry, a Union Territory on the southern tip of the country, researchers from Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala and Pondicherry Central University studied four open-field agricultural sites. The sites, all along the coastline, had silty clay and sandy soil type, and were located near health centres and households. The researchers collected and analysed soil and irrigation water samples using a density separation method.
Esta historia es de la edición May 01, 2024 de Down To Earth.
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Esta historia es de la edición May 01, 2024 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara