The Dirty Truth: Effects of Leaches from Commercial Plastic Products on Soil Respiration

The toxicological effects of plastic pollution on the environment have only begun to be explored. Most plastic pollution research has focused on marine ecosystems, despite over one-third of plastic debris being found on land. Fewer research has focused on plastic impacts on terrestrial ecosystem functions like carbon cycling. This study aims to address this gap by examining the impact of leachates from commercial plastic products on aerobic soil respiration. Soil samples were extracted from two study sites: the Duke Campus Farm and the Stream and Wetland Assessment Management Park (SWAMP) both operated by Duke University. Leachates produced from selected products were injected into closed soil incubation systems and measured for respiration over 6 weeks. Strong evidence suggests that all treatments do encourage the suppression of aerobic soil respiration in the SWAMP soil. As land use changes with human population growth, soil, and plastic interactions will only increase. Further research must be conducted to fully understand the short and long-term toxicological effects of plastics on our world.