Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach
First steps in tracing major pollutant source in “missing plastics” problem
2026-01-17
(Press-News.org)
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) applied to fields ends up on beaches and in the sea. They studied PCF deposits on beaches around Japan, finding that only 0.2% of used PCFs are washed into rivers and returned to the coastline. When there are canals connecting fields to the sea, this rises to 28%. Their findings highlight a potentially significant “sink” in the global circulation of plastics.
Plastic marine pollution poses a serious threat to wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. It is estimated that around 90% of the plastic that has flowed out to sea has disappeared from the sea surface, accumulated on the sea floor or any number of other “sinks.” To effectively reduce the amount of “missing plastics,” scientists have been studying the complex ways by which plastic material is transported from its point of use to the sea.
Polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) is a major source of microplastic pollution. Certain fertilizers are coated in a thin layer of plastic to delay the release of chemicals, making it last longer. They are widely used in Japan and China for rice cultivation, as well as for wheat, corn, and other crops in the U.S., U.K., and Western Europe. In fact, it has been shown that 50-90% of plastic debris found on beaches in Japan is derived from PCFs. Yet, the way in which PCFs are carried from land to sea, and how that affects its eventual disappearance, is not well understood.
A team of researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University, led by Professor Masayuki Kawahigashi and Dr. Dolgormaa Munkhbat, surveyed the amount of PCFs ending up on beaches across different environments. They focused on beaches near river mouths and direct drainage points from agricultural fields to the sea, surveying 147 plots across 17 beaches. Near river mouths, they estimated that the PCFs found on beaches there amount to less than 0.2% of what was used in surrounding areas. With 77% staying on fields, the remaining 22.8% wash out to sea. On the other hand, surveys around direct drainage points from agricultural land to the sea showed that 28% end up back on the beach. The team concluded that waves and tidal action help them wash back onto land, making beaches a temporary sink for microplastics. Given that most PCFs lost from fields end up in rivers, the majority of these plastic capsules end up going “missing.”
The team also noticed that many of the PCF microplastics they found showed significant reddening and browning. Analysis with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) revealed newly added particles of iron and aluminum oxide, which may be weighing the capsules down, making them less likely to wash back to shore. While many challenges remain in understanding the complex transport of a major pollutant, the team’s survey is a key first step in tracing how PCFs contribute to the global challenge of missing plastics.
END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2026-01-17
There is no evidence that paracetamol use during pregnancy increases the risk of autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or intellectual disability among children, finds most rigorous synthesis of the current evidence to date published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health journal.
In September 2025 the U.S. administration suggested that taking paracetamol during pregnancy might increase the risk of autism among children. Earlier meta-analyses suggested small associations between ...
2026-01-17
Under embargo until Friday 16th January 2026, 23:30hrs UK time
City St George’s, University of London press release
Peer-reviewed / Systematic review + meta-analysis / People
Taking paracetamol during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or intellectual disability among children. That is according to the most rigorous analysis of the evidence to date published today in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, and led ...
2026-01-16
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Two studies led by an opioid treatment program run by the University at Buffalo and UBMD Emergency Medicine have found that harm reduction vending machines installed across New York State are well utilized and provide critical, lifesaving services to high-risk individuals who might not otherwise have access.
The studies, published late last year, evaluate the performance of the 15 harm reduction vending machines installed throughout New York State by the MATTERS Network, based at UBMD Emergency Medicine and UB.
MATTERS (Medication for Addiction Treatment and Electronic Referrals) now operates 30 harm reduction vending machines in New York State ...
2026-01-16
University of Phoenix announced the publication of a new white paper, “Untapped Potential: How Credit for Prior Learning Can Redefine Employer Outlook on Professional Development,” by Devin Andrews, MBA, M.Ed., Vice President of Admissions and Evaluation. The report draws on a national University of Phoenix employee engagement and retention survey of 610 human resources (HR) managers and 1,195 employees conducted by The Harris Poll that examined how credit for prior learning (CPL) impacts internal mobility, employee retention and skills development. The analysis finds 98% of HR managers are aware of CPL—and ...
2026-01-16
Canada is failing in a decades-old pledge to monitor the health of Pacific salmon, according to new research from Simon Fraser University.
At a time when government policy is geared towards accelerating industrial development across sensitive B.C. watersheds, an SFU study published today in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences reports that monitoring of salmon spawning populations has dropped 32 per cent since Canada adopted its Wild Salmon Policy 20 years ago.
The decline in publicly-available data means that scientists are ...
2026-01-16
Professor Qiming Sun of Soochow University and Researcher Manyi Yang of Nanjing University successfully achieved confined loading of highly dispersed Pt-FeOx nanoparticles within nanosheet molecular sieves. This catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic performance in the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane and the hydrogenation of toluene, realizing hydrogen energy storage and release mediated by the "methylcyclohexane-toluene" reaction. The study shows that the Pt-FeOx catalyst possesses excellent ...
2026-01-16
CORNELL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 16, 2026
Kaitlyn Serrao
607-882-1140
kms465@cornell.edu
Investment in farm productivity tools key to reducing greenhouse gas
ITHACA, N.Y. - A new study from Cornell University researchers finds improved farm productivity has been the driving force in keeping greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in check.
In the study, published Jan. 16 in Science Advances, researchers analyzed worldwide data from 1961-2021 to determine why agricultural production has far outpaced emissions. They found consistently that farmers’ ability to produce more output per unit of input, ...
2026-01-16
As the global demand for clean and low-carbon energy grows, nuclear power is expected to play an increasingly important role. Yet the expansion of nuclear energy brings a persistent environmental challenge: the release of uranium into wastewater, mining effluents, and even the ocean. A new review paper published in Science of Carbon Materials provides the most comprehensive overview to date of how electrochemical technologies could help solve this problem by selectively capturing uranium in its most mobile and hazardous form.
Uranium in water typically exists as uranyl ions, a highly soluble and toxic species that can spread easily through natural and ...
2026-01-16
Shale gas has become a cornerstone of the global energy transition, supplying large amounts of natural gas through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. But a new scientific review warns that the extraction process also generates vast quantities of waste that carry a complex mixture of emerging contaminants, many of which pose potential risks to ecosystems and human health.
In a comprehensive review published in New Contaminants, researchers systematically examined the sources, characteristics, and environmental risks of emerging contaminants released throughout the shale gas lifecycle. The study ...
2026-01-16
Every year, billions of cigarette butts are discarded worldwide, creating one of the most pervasive and persistent forms of environmental litter. Now, researchers have demonstrated that this problematic waste can be converted into advanced carbon materials capable of powering next generation energy storage devices.
In a new study published in Energy & Environmental Nanotechnology, scientists report a method to transform waste cigarette butts into nitrogen and oxygen co doped nanoporous biochar with exceptional performance ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach
First steps in tracing major pollutant source in “missing plastics” problem
