Strategy towards producing relevant and reliable data for the hazard assessment of micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils

• Authors: KOKALJ Anita Jemec; KALCIKOVA Gabriela; SELONEN Salla; BOSKER Thijs; DROBNE Damjana; DVORAKOVA Darina; HOFMAN Jakub; HURLEY Rachel; KERNCHEN Sarmite; LAFORSCH Christian; LODER Martin G. J.; VAN LOON Sam; REDONDO-HASSELERHARM Paula E.; SAARTAMA Vili; ŠMÍDOVÁ Klára; TSAGKARIS Aristeidis S.; ZANTIS Laura J.; NIZZETTO Luca; VAN GESTELI Cornelis A. M.
• Year of publication: 2024
• Type: Article in Periodical
• Magazine / Source: TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry
• MU Faculty or unit: Faculty of Science
• web: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993624000499?via%3Dihub
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2024.117567
• Keywords: Chemical additives; Environmental relevance; Guidelines; Harmonization; Microplastic characterization; Soil invertebrates; Plants; Reference materials; Risk assessment; Quality assessment
• Description: Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are widespread emerging contaminants with many potential direct and indirect effects on soil ecosystems. Ecological soil MNP hazard assessment is thus crucial for a proper risk assessment and the development of environmental protection regulations. However, current hazard assessment testing approaches are hampered by the absence of guidelines, harmonization, and standard reference materials. This article discusses the need for improving testing approaches and provides specific recommendations to increase the relevance and reliability of ecotoxicity data. Our recommendations focus on environmentally relevant experimental designs, guidelines for MNP test materials selection and characterization, analysis of MNPs and additives in soil and biota, and a proposal for relevant soil physicochemical properties to be assessed during ecotoxicity testing. This article brings novelty to the field of ecological hazard assessment of MNPs in soil by providing specific recommendations much needed in this field.