Microplastics in Groundwater and Soil – Pollution Analysis and Monitoring

The current situation regarding environmental pollution in the Republic of Croatia has once again raised the question of the presence of microplastics in soil and groundwater, highlighting the importance of timely and reliable laboratory testing of environmental samples.

Microplastics are currently one of the growing challenges in the field of environmental protection. Although they have long been primarily associated with marine and ocean pollution, increasing attention is being paid to their presence in soil, surface water and groundwater, as well as water intended for human consumption. Since groundwater and surface water represent important sources of water for human consumption, monitoring the presence of microplastics is becoming increasingly important for assessing their potential occurrence and human exposure.

Due to their very small size, persistence and ability to be transported through the environment, microplastic particles can spread far from the original source of pollution. This is why laboratory analysis is an important tool for determining their presence, quantity and type.

The current situation in Lika highlights the importance of microplastic monitoring

Recent testing of groundwater in the Lika region shows that the problem of plastic waste is not limited only to what can be seen on the surface. Small plastic particles can enter the soil and subsequently be transported further by precipitation and groundwater flows.

This is particularly important in karst areas such as Lika, where groundwater movement is complex and the potential transport of pollutants needs to be monitored through appropriate sampling and laboratory testing programmes.

Microplastics in groundwater

Groundwater has long been considered relatively protected from numerous surface sources of pollution. However, the presence of microplastics shows that small particles can also find their way into underground aquifers.

Potential sources include improper waste disposal, the breakdown of larger plastic materials, landfill leachate, wastewater, agricultural activities and atmospheric deposition.

Analysis of groundwater can determine the presence of microplastic particles, as well as their number, size and polymer type, depending on the analytical method applied and the testing requirements.

Comparing samples collected upstream and downstream of a potential pollution source can provide significantly better insight into its potential spread.

Soil as a reservoir of microplastics

A significant proportion of microplastics entering the environment can accumulate in soil.

Over time, plastic waste fragments into increasingly smaller particles under the influence of UV radiation, mechanical abrasion and environmental conditions. These particles can remain in surface soil layers or gradually migrate into deeper soil layers.

For this reason, soil analysis represents an important part of assessing areas suspected of long-term exposure to plastic waste.

Combining soil and groundwater analysis is particularly useful, as it provides a more comprehensive picture of the presence of microplastics and their potential pathways of transport through the environment.

Microplastic analysis at Sample Control

Sample Control offers microplastic analysis in various types of samples, including environmental matrices such as water and soil, as well as other samples where the presence of plastic particles needs to be determined.

Depending on the testing objective, the analysis can provide information on:

• the presence and number of microplastic particles

• particle size and size distribution

• morphological characteristics of particles

• identification of polymer types

• comparison of contamination levels between different locations or samples

• monitoring changes over time.

A particular advantage is the ability to tailor the testing to the client's specific needs. The analytical programme can be defined according to the sample type, potential source of contamination, location and purpose of the testing.

In this way, microplastic analysis can form part of a one-off investigation or a broader environmental monitoring programme.

More than microplastic analysis alone

When environmental contamination is suspected, microplastics are often not the only parameter that needs to be monitored.

Sample Control has broad analytical capabilities for testing water, soil, sediment, waste and other environmental matrices, allowing microplastic testing to be combined with other analyses relevant to the specific source of contamination.

Depending on the type and history of the site, the testing programme may also include the determination of heavy metals, PFAS compounds and other organic and inorganic pollutants.

This approach enables a much broader picture of the environmental conditions to be obtained from a single sampling programme, rather than focusing on only one isolated parameter.

Reliable data as the foundation of environmental protection

Situations such as the current one in Lika demonstrate the importance of monitoring pollution that is not always visible to the naked eye. Microplastics can remain present in the environment long after the visible source of plastic waste has been removed.

Therefore, laboratory analysis is not only a means of confirming the presence of microplastics, but also an important tool for assessing environmental conditions, planning remediation and conducting long-term monitoring.

With its analytical capabilities, Sample Control provides support ranging from individual microplastic analysis to comprehensive testing of environmental samples and pollution monitoring programmes.

For information on microplastic analysis in water, soil and other samples, and to define the appropriate scope of testing, please contact our expert team.