Comparing the movement of three different types of microplastic in a simulated agricultural environment dependent on soil slope and rain intensity

This study focused on the fate and movement of MP after their distribution on the soil surface. Two most applicable polymers—lowdensity polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and multilayer polymer packaging consisting of PE, PET, and polyurethane adhesive—were selected. To investigate the movement of MP, polymers in the size range of 600 μm were added to the soil surface in a test bench under conditions of soil slope of 5˚ and rain intensity of 264 L ha⁻¹ s⁻¹. After artificial rainfall, the number of MP washed from the soil in each test was determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) microscopy iN10. The results indicated that MP from PE can be transported by rain more easily compared to the other two polymers.