Wiebke Mareile Heinzes halvtidsseminarium

Opponent: Lektor Martyn Futter, Institutionen för vatten och miljö, SLU.

Plats: Zoom

Mötes-URL: https://slu-se.zoom.us/j/62477566079

Mötes-ID: 624 7756 6079

Lösen: 623365

Engelsk sammanfattning av doktorsavhandlingen

Global plastic consumption is steadily increasing, and the subsequently rising emissions to the environment are regarded as a potential threat to different ecosystem services. In particular the smaller-sized fraction, so-called microplastics, are considered more problematic due to a higher anticipated mobility and greater challenges in recovery from the environment. However, studies on the abundance and fate of microplastics in terrestrial systems are still comparatively scarce. At the same time, knowledge on the mobility of microplastics in soils could support assessments on local exposure risks, but also on a larger scale whether soils may act as a sink or a source of microplastics to other ecosystems. The work carried out here focused on a better characterization of transport mechanisms of microplastics in soil under controlled conditions, with a particular focus on bioturbation as the anticipated driver of microplastic redistribution in the soil. Moving from the laboratory to the field, we then measured the microplastic distribution in soil profiles from fields amended with sewage-sludge to quantify abundancy and their mobility under uncontrolled conditions. By comparing the laboratory and field scale, important conclusions for better assessment of microplastic mobility may be obtained for future transport model building.