Microplastic pollution of low greenhouses and disposable drip irrigation pipes applied soils in Adana-Karataş

This study determined the number of microplastics (plastics smaller than 5 mm) in the soil after harvest in some agricultural areas where low tunnel greenhouses and single-use irrigation pipes are used in the Adana/Karataş region. For this purpose, in three replications, 1 kg of soil was taken from 10 different parcels in Ataköy, Bahçe, Tuzla, and Karataş locations, from the 5 cm deep part of the surface using the blending method. The presence of microplastics, which may belong to single-use drip irrigation pipes and low tunnel greenhouses plastics, were investigated in soil samples. An average of 11.13 ± 2.31 number/kg of microplastic was detected in the soil samples. According to the regions, the highest amount of microplastics was determined at 32.0 ± 14.36 number/kg at Bahçe-4 location and the lowest amount of microplastics with 0.3 ± 0.3 number/kg at Karataş-1 location. The average size of microplastics is 3.28 ± 0.08 mm. The average size of microplastic originating from low greenhouses plastics was 3.29 ± 0.09 mm, and from disposable drip irrigation pipe was 3.17 ± 0.22 mm. It was determined that the amount of microplastic in the fields was negatively correlated to the post-use removal of disposable drip irrigation pipes and greenhouse plastics. The number of microplastics in the lands where plastics were removed after use was relatively lower than in the soils where plastics were not removed. As a result, it has been determined that a significant amount of microplastic pollution occurs due to plastic utilisation in agricultural areas where plastic culture is applied in the Adana Karataş region.