Not the right sub, but entirely the right person to be asking this question to.
Like with most soil things, the answer is a mix beteeen "it’s complicated’ and “we don’t know”. This may sound like a cop out, but soil science didn’t really take off until the 1940s (thanks Jenny), so it’s a very new science. On top of that you have multiple disciplines (biology, mineralogy, chemistry, physics, and pedology itself) that tie into soil. Soil itself also has substantial spatial heterogeneity.
Short answer: I don’t know.
**Long answer:**I don’t know, but I suspect it might be more labile in soil.
Here is why:
First thing to consider is the chemical and biological resistance of the plastic. Generally plastics are pretty stable to degradation, but plasticizers are more biologically active and can have all kinds of nasty effects.
Stability will ultimately be determined by feedstock (type of plastic) climatic factors, soil chemistry (primarily pH), organic matter content (high OM -> possibly broader soil Ecosystem -> more chance of some weird soil microbe being able to break things down), and particle size (smaller particles break down faster).
Given that soils have more microbial activity (which can generate weak humic acids too - see podzolification), particle size of the plastics are sand sized or less, and that soils are generally in the pH 5-7 range, it’s likely that they are more mobile and easily degraded versus inert sand. Whether this gets tied back up into soil organic matter is a whole other can of worms.
So yeah. Idk. I think so though.
If you’re comparing micro plastic to just sand in terms of stability - sand is far more stable.
Correct. It’s a similar process to geochemical weathering of rocks, which can cause major issues in mining. In that case, the rocks often contain pyrite (sulphide minerals) which are fine if they aren’t exposed to oxygen. When you dig up the rock, though it starts a chain reaction which results in low pH leachate, which can then make metals mobile.
Hey everyone. Emily here. Pronouns are She/They. How is everyone doing? How’s life been treating everyone? I Hope everyone Is ok. Take care please. Get some sleep, drink water, and Love yourself for me please :3
For me, it was my hip. I don’t know what I ever did to offend it, but holy christ, it bothered me every day for years. I was in really good shape, too, but working way, way too much to get it looked at.
I finally did, and it never bothers me anymore. I think it was just tight back muscles pulling everything out from a decade of bush stomping and digging in rubber boots. Agony though. I really sympathize with anyone who’s got any sort of joint pain.
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Hey everyone. Emily here. Pronouns are She/They. How is everyone doing? How’s life been treating everyone? I Hope everyone Is ok. Take care please. Get some sleep, drink water, and Love yourself for me please :3
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