Santini, Giorgia (2023) Effects of microplastics on soil quality. [Tesi di dottorato]

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Plastic pollution, especially caused by poorly managed agricultural practices is gaining increasing interest precisely because of its link to human nutrition. Certainly, agricultural mulching has many advantages but one of the risks is that mulches subject to wear and tear can release microplastics into the soil that accumulate over time. The effects of microplastics on soil have recently been investigated but many questions remain associated with the effects of bioplastics as an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional plastics. This PhD thesis seeks to address this knowledge gap through a mesocosm study. The first chapter of the thesis analyses the effects of conventional plastics and bioplastics after six months of exposure on the chemical and physical characteristics of soil. In particular, the availability of nutrients and total metals in soils was investigated in order to understand the risk also associated with bioplastics. Subsequently, in the second chapter, the biotic properties of the soil such as enzyme activities, microbial respiration and phytotoxicity are also investigated. Finally, in the third chapter, the aspect of molecular ecology is investigated in order to understand whether these two types of plastics have influenced microbial and micro-arthropod communities over time. Finally, in the fourth chapter, the effects of microplastics generated by conventional and biodegradable plastic mulches on some properties of soils and on the growth of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) are analyzed.

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