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<p>Plastic pollution has become a central concern for researchers, policymakers, and the public, particularly in light of the negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty in Geneva in 2025. Over the past two decades extensive research has greatly improved our understanding of the severity of microplastic pollution through occurrence and impact studies. Recently, the focus has shifted from quantifying plastic abundance toward assessing the potential risks and impacts of microplastics on environmental, animal, and human health. Compared to marine, estuarine, and freshwater ecosystems, research on terrestrial ecosystems remains limited. The scarcity of monitoring data makes it hard to assess the current and future ecological risk of microplastic pollution. This lack of data, largely due to methodological challenges, introduces considerable uncertainty in evaluating the effects of microplastics on the environment. Regardless of the studied ecosystem, assessing microplastic risk is inherently complex. A single plastic polymer may contain hundreds of chemical additives (e.g. plasticizers, pigments), adsorb additional pollutants (e.g. pesticides), and even act as a vector for pathogenic organisms. Furthermore, potential effects depend not only on concentration but also on the polymer type, particle size distribution, and morphology. In this reflection paper, we examine these challenges and propose pathways toward more objective microplastic risk assessments.</p>

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Beyond counting: a perspective on advancing soil microplastic monitoring in terrestrial ecosystems for risk assessment

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月5日

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  • Caroline De Tender,
  • Benthe Van Buyten,
  • Lisa Joos,
  • Jozefien Demeulenaere,
  • Shira Houwenhuyse,
  • Patria Novita Kusumawardani,
  • Nick Krekelbergh,
  • Yin Liu,
  • Athraa Al-Saadi,
  • Laetitia Six,
  • Griet Van Gestel,
  • Bavo De Witte,
  • Stefaan De Neve

摘要

Plastic pollution has become a central concern for researchers, policymakers, and the public, particularly in light of the negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty in Geneva in 2025. Over the past two decades extensive research has greatly improved our understanding of the severity of microplastic pollution through occurrence and impact studies. Recently, the focus has shifted from quantifying plastic abundance toward assessing the potential risks and impacts of microplastics on environmental, animal, and human health. Compared to marine, estuarine, and freshwater ecosystems, research on terrestrial ecosystems remains limited. The scarcity of monitoring data makes it hard to assess the current and future ecological risk of microplastic pollution. This lack of data, largely due to methodological challenges, introduces considerable uncertainty in evaluating the effects of microplastics on the environment. Regardless of the studied ecosystem, assessing microplastic risk is inherently complex. A single plastic polymer may contain hundreds of chemical additives (e.g. plasticizers, pigments), adsorb additional pollutants (e.g. pesticides), and even act as a vector for pathogenic organisms. Furthermore, potential effects depend not only on concentration but also on the polymer type, particle size distribution, and morphology. In this reflection paper, we examine these challenges and propose pathways toward more objective microplastic risk assessments.