Distribution and Morphological Characteristics of Microplastics in Surface Soils of Four Climatic Regions of Fars Province

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz

3 Department of Earth Sciences, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) pose a serious threat to soil ecosystem sustainability and human health. This study investigated the distribution and morphological characteristics (shape, color, size) of MPs in surface soils from four climatic regions of Fars Province, Iran (Darab, Arjan Plain, Sepidan, and Sarvestan). Twenty-seven soil samples were collected, and MPs were extracted using density separation with ZnCl₂ solution. Identification was performed via stereomicroscopy, and polymer composition was determined by Raman spectroscopy. Of 128 identified particles, fibers dominated across all regions (91.41%). Sarvestan exhibited 100% fibrous particles, while Darab had the highest proportion of film-like particles. Black particles prevailed in Arjan and Sarvestan, whereas Sepidan showed dominance of blue-dark blue particles and polyamide polymer (66.67%), reflecting its rangeland-tourism land use and high-rainfall climate. The 250–500 µm size class was most abundant in Sepidan (46.30%), while larger particles (≥1000 µm) were mainly observed in the barren lands of Sarvestan. Raman spectroscopy confirmed polyamide and nylon as prevalent polymers. Although no direct significant correlation was found between MP abundance and climatic factors (temperature, precipitation), climate indirectly influences MP size and morphology through processes such as runoff, surface erosion, and sediment dynamics, interacting with local land use. Therefore, tailored management strategies aligned with specific climatic and land-use conditions are essential, particularly in high-rainfall areas like Sepidan and arid regions like Sarvestan.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Introduction and Goal

Soil is a complex and dynamic system composed of air, water, decomposing organic matter, plants, living organisms, and minerals derived from rock weathering, and is shaped by a wide range of environmental factors. This natural medium plays a fundamental role in the biogeochemical cycling of key elements such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, and other nutrients, and is therefore essential for the sustainability of life on Earth. Despite its critical ecological functions, soil is increasingly affected by various contaminants, among which plastics represent one of the most prominent and emerging concerns. The degradation of plastic materials leads to the formation of microplastics, which are now recognized as a growing environmental issue in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Due to their small size and resistance to degradation, microplastics can persist in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years and are therefore considered persistent pollutants. Recent evidence indicates that terrestrial soils constitute one of the main reservoirs for microplastic accumulation. Compared with aquatic systems, soils often contain higher microplastic loads, as they act both as major sinks and as sources transferring microplastics to aquatic environments. Microplastics enter soils through multiple pathways, including the application of soil amendments, landfilling, sewage sludge use, compost and organic fertilizers, wastewater irrigation, plastic mulching residues, tire wear particles, and atmospheric deposition. Characterizing microplastics in terms of size, shape, and color is essential for understanding their behavior, transport pathways, and environmental implications. However, most previous studies have focused on general identification, with limited attention given to the role of climatic conditions and land-use types in shaping morphological patterns. The pronounced climatic diversity of Fars Province, ranging from humid mountainous regions to arid barren plains, provides a unique opportunity to investigate these effects. Accordingly, the main objective of this study was to assess and compare the morphological characteristics (size, shape, color, and polymer type) of microplastics in surface soils from four climatically distinct regions (Arjan and Sepidan versus Sarvestan and Darab) and contrasting land uses (rangeland versus barren land) in Fars Province, Iran.

Materials and Methods

This study investigated the abundance and morphological characteristics of microplastics in calcareous soils of Fars Province, which covers approximately 122,000 km² and exhibits predominantly arid to semi-arid climatic conditions, with mean annual precipitation ranging from 100 to 400 mm and diverse moisture and thermal soil regimes. Four regions—Darab, Sarvestan, Sepidan, and Dasht-e Arjan—were selected to represent this climatic variability. Surface soil samples (0–30 cm) were collected along predefined transects, yielding a total of 27 samples from 6 to 8 sampling stations per region. Samples were air-dried, sieved through a 2 mm stainless steel sieve, and analyzed for physical and chemical properties using standard methods. Microplastics were extracted from 50 g of 1 mm–sieved soil using density separation with a saturated zinc chloride solution (density ≈ 1.7 g cm⁻³), followed by three repeated vacuum filtration steps. Particles were counted and classified by size, shape, and color using a stereomicroscope and ImageJ software. Polymer composition was identified by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn tests, and Spearman correlation analysis at a 5% significance level.

Results and Discussion

A total of 128 microplastic particles were identified across all samples. Fibrous particles dominated the assemblage, accounting for 91.41% of all microplastics, with the highest dominance observed in Sarvestan, where all detected particles were fibrous. This pattern was attributed to arid climatic conditions, sparse vegetation cover, and the predominance of aeolian transport processes. Film-shaped particles occurred at much lower frequencies and were mainly observed in Darab and Sepidan, reflecting agricultural and recreational activities. Black was the most frequent color in most regions, while blue–navy particles were more abundant in Sepidan, indicating differences in source inputs and polymer weathering under varying climatic conditions. Size distributions also varied regionally: particles in the 250–500 µm range were most common in Sepidan, likely influenced by higher precipitation, surface runoff, and leaching of finer particles, whereas Sarvestan showed a notable presence of larger particles (>1000 µm), suggesting greater persistence of polymer fragments in dry, calcareous soils with low organic carbon content. Raman spectroscopy identified nylon and polyamide as the most prevalent polymers, particularly in Sarvestan and Sepidan. Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between microplastic abundance and certain soil properties (e.g., sodium, magnesium, and bicarbonate), but no direct correlations with temperature or precipitation. These findings indicate that climate exerts an indirect influence on microplastic morphology through processes such as erosion, runoff, and sediment dynamics.

 

Conclusion and Suggestions

The results demonstrate that surface soils in Fars Province act as effective sinks for microplastics and that climatic conditions, land use, and soil properties jointly control their distribution and morphological characteristics. Future studies should adopt uniform sampling strategies and further investigate microplastic sources and their interactions with soil ecosystems.

Funding

The study was funded by the University of Shiraz, Country Iran.

Authorship contribution

For research articles with several authors, a short paragraph specifying their individual contributions must be provided. The following statements should be used “Conceptualization, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi, and Majid Baghernejad; methodology, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi, and Majid Baghernejad; software, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi; validation, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi; formal analysis, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi; investigation, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi; resources, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Sajjad Abbasi; data curation, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi; writing—original draft preparation, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi; writing—review and editing, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi, and Majid Baghernejad; visualization, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Shekoufeh Forouzan, Sajjad Abbasi, and Majid Baghernejad; supervision, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Sajjad Abbasi; project administration, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Sajjad Abbasi; funding acquisition, Ali Akbar Moosavi, Sajjad Abbasi.

All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process

No AI-assisted technologies has been used at any stage of preparing this article.

Data availability statement

 Data available on request from the authors.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Vice Chancellor for Research of Shiraz University and the Center for Environmental Studies and Emerging Pollutants for their financial support, spiritual support, and cooperation in the implementation of the present research.

The authors would like to thank anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions in manuscript revision.

Ethical considerations

The authors avoided data fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism, and any form of misconduct.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

 

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Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research
Volume 57, Issue 3
May 2026
Pages 725-749

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