A new study has shown that forests are becoming unique “traps” for microplastics from the atmosphere: particles settle on leaves and then, along with rain and leaf litter, enter the soil, where they accumulate for years.
Scientists from the Technical University of Darmstadt conducted the first large-scale study on the distribution of microplastics in forest ecosystems. The results showed that a significant portion of the contaminant enters forests directly from the atmosphere.
According to the lead author, Collin Weber, microplastics settle on the tree canopies and are then transported to the soil by rain and autumn leaf fall. In deciduous forests, the decomposition of fallen leaves becomes one of the main sources by which microplastics enter the ground.
The highest concentration of particles was found in the upper layers of leaf litter, but a significant amount was also discovered in deeper soil layers. Scientists link this to the activity of microorganisms involved in the decomposition of organic matter, which facilitates the migration of plastic deeper.
“Our results show that forests can be viewed as indicators of microplastic contamination in the atmosphere. The high concentration of this pollutant in soils speaks to the serious scale of the problem,” Weber noted.
The study is the first to successfully document the pathways of microplastic distribution in forests. Scientists warn that the accumulation of harmful particles could negatively affect both ecosystems and human health through food chains.
