Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions

Microplastics (MPs) in soil significantly impact human health and ecosystems, making it critical to understand their physical properties. These properties can also be altered by varying depths of geostress. In this study, loess samples with plastic contents of 0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 % were subject...

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Main Authors: Lei Xue, Xiaoran Li, Qiang Sun, Yimeng Zhou, Jingjing Nan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009268
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author Lei Xue
Xiaoran Li
Qiang Sun
Yimeng Zhou
Jingjing Nan
author_facet Lei Xue
Xiaoran Li
Qiang Sun
Yimeng Zhou
Jingjing Nan
author_sort Lei Xue
collection DOAJ
description Microplastics (MPs) in soil significantly impact human health and ecosystems, making it critical to understand their physical properties. These properties can also be altered by varying depths of geostress. In this study, loess samples with plastic contents of 0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 % were subjected to pressure using a material testing system under different stress conditions. The resistivity and wave velocity of the plastic loess were measured. The results revealed that wave velocity decreased gradually with increasing plastic content. Additionally, both resistivity and wave velocity increased with rising stress levels. Notably, resistivity initially decreased and then increased as plastic content rose, with the minimum resistivity occurring at approximately 1 % plastic content. The presence of MPs was also found to affect the formation of soil aggregates. These findings provide a theoretical basis and reference for better understanding the physical properties of plastic-containing deep loess and for nondestructively monitoring plastic content in loess through physical exploration methods.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 2214-157X
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
spelling doaj-art-4f96c3cffc414ceba06638e435dc7f782025-08-20T02:36:41ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-09-017310666610.1016/j.csite.2025.106666Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditionsLei Xue0Xiaoran Li1Qiang Sun2Yimeng Zhou3Jingjing Nan4State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric and Environmental Coevolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China; Corresponding author.College of Geology and Environment, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, ChinaCollege of Geology and Environment, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, China; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric and Environmental Coevolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, ChinaCollege of Geology and Environment, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, ChinaMicroplastics (MPs) in soil significantly impact human health and ecosystems, making it critical to understand their physical properties. These properties can also be altered by varying depths of geostress. In this study, loess samples with plastic contents of 0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, and 1.5 % were subjected to pressure using a material testing system under different stress conditions. The resistivity and wave velocity of the plastic loess were measured. The results revealed that wave velocity decreased gradually with increasing plastic content. Additionally, both resistivity and wave velocity increased with rising stress levels. Notably, resistivity initially decreased and then increased as plastic content rose, with the minimum resistivity occurring at approximately 1 % plastic content. The presence of MPs was also found to affect the formation of soil aggregates. These findings provide a theoretical basis and reference for better understanding the physical properties of plastic-containing deep loess and for nondestructively monitoring plastic content in loess through physical exploration methods.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009268MicroplasticsLoessStressWaveVelocityResistivity
spellingShingle Lei Xue
Xiaoran Li
Qiang Sun
Yimeng Zhou
Jingjing Nan
Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Microplastics
Loess
Stress
Wave
Velocity
Resistivity
title Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
title_full Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
title_fullStr Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
title_full_unstemmed Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
title_short Evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
title_sort evolution of the physical properties of soils containing microplastics under high stress conditions
topic Microplastics
Loess
Stress
Wave
Velocity
Resistivity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25009268
work_keys_str_mv AT leixue evolutionofthephysicalpropertiesofsoilscontainingmicroplasticsunderhighstressconditions
AT xiaoranli evolutionofthephysicalpropertiesofsoilscontainingmicroplasticsunderhighstressconditions
AT qiangsun evolutionofthephysicalpropertiesofsoilscontainingmicroplasticsunderhighstressconditions
AT yimengzhou evolutionofthephysicalpropertiesofsoilscontainingmicroplasticsunderhighstressconditions
AT jingjingnan evolutionofthephysicalpropertiesofsoilscontainingmicroplasticsunderhighstressconditions