Aging Microplastics Strengthen Pesticide Retention in Agricultural Soil
· newswise.com · popularity 20/100 · 0 similar stories today · Physics & Chemistry (Science)
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Summary
A research team has found that aging can turn tiny polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles into stronger traps for fluensulfone, a fluorinated pesticide used to control plant-parasitic nematodes. Laboratory experiments showed that small, aged particles captured the pesticide more rapidly and released it less readily than pristine plastics. In soil mixtures, aged particles measuring one micrometer increased total pesticide retention by approximately 15%-25%. The findings could help improve predictions of pesticide movement and retention in agricultural soils, where plastic debris and chemical residues frequently coexist.
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