Adsorption of acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide on different type of microplastics present in alluvial soil

The presence of microplastics (MPs) and their effects have been widely investigated in the aquatic environment, whereas the research done in the terrestrial environment is incomparably lacking. MPs are considered a pollutant in soil on agricultural land, where they can act as a vector for other pollutants, namely organic chemical compounds, such as pesticides. In soil, presence of MPs is affecting the growth and life of microorganisms in it. The interactions between two types of MPs and three pesticides in the mixture with alluvial soil were studied. Adsorption of acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide in concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 mg L−1 onto polyester fibres and polypropylene particles of 0.5–1 mm size was studied at 1% and 5% (w/w) of their content in soil. Results showed that the adsorption of pesticides was dependent on their octanol/water partition coefficient, with the most highly adsorbed pesticide also being the most hydrophobic, regardless of the type and form of MPs. Adsorption of pesticides onto MP particles was confirmed in soil-MPs mixtures with 5% polypropylene and 5% polyester at all tested pesticides’ concentrations, proving that MPs in soil systems act as carriers to pollutants. MPs in soil decreased the soil’s intrinsic capacity to retain pesticides, indicating the possibility of a greater mobility of pesticides on MPs through the soil system. [Display omitted] •Model pesticides are adsorbed on microplastics (polypropylene, polyester) in soil.•Pesticide adsorption (Kf) correlated with increasing partition coefficient (Kow).•Soil’s intrinsic sorption capacity decreased with increased microplastics content.•Flubendiamide was adsorbed to the greatest extent on both types of microplastics.