Institute of Hydrology
Topic
The influence of microplastics on the hydrophysical characteristics of soils in the Eastern Slovak Lowland
PhD. program
Landscape Engineering, Agriculture and Landscaping
Year of admission
2025
Name of the supervisor
Ing. Branislav Kandra, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering SUA
Annotation
At present, more than 400 million tons of plastics are produced annually in the world. Only a small part of this volume is recycled and the rest remains in the natural environment, including the soil. These are different types of polymers, which disintegrate to form particles of different sizes and shapes. In the case of microplastics, these are particles in the order of micrometers, which have been shown to have a negative effect on living organisms and the environment. Contamination of the soil environment by microplastics can occur in various ways, such as mulching, sewage sludge, irrigation with untreated water, floods, etc. The content of microplastics in the soil affects its physical, chemical and biological properties. The dissertation will analyze the influence of selected microplastics on the hydrophysical properties of soils with microplastic amendments (texture, bulk and particle density, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention curves, etc.). The examined samples will represent soil types characteristic of the Eastern Slovak Lowland.