Fate and transport of biodegradable agricultural plastics in soils and the environment

Sean Schaeffer, Associate Professor, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee

Join us for the live stream March 23, 11:45am EST: https://youtu.be/M63KWdjcR2o
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ABSTRACT

Micro- and nano-plastic particles derived from plastic waste have been identified as an emerging global threat to ecosystem services. These particles have been documented in soils and can affect terrestrial geochemistry and soil biota. The evolving concern for plastic particles in agricultural soil relates to their reported or potential harm to plants and organisms, their impact on soil geochemistry and groundwater quality, and their ability to serve as vehicles for transport of pesticides. The use of biodegradable plastics in agriculture addresses some, but not all the concerns since particles still form and reside in soils for several weeks, if not months. I will present examples of how biodegradable plastics impact soil biogeochemistry and describe our current project to assess the fate and transport of plastic particles from terrestrial to aquatic systems.

Bio

Dr. Sean Schaeffer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He received a B.S. degree from the University of Utah, a M.S. from the University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas. Dr. Schaeffer is a soil biogeochemist with research interests in soil ecology, sustainability, and climate change. He has over 55 peer-reviewed publications and is an elected Chair of the Soil and Environmental Quality Division of the Soil Science Society of America.  He is also Director of the Environmental and Soil Science Undergraduate Program in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science.

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