{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]],"date-time":"2026-02-20T21:10:09Z","timestamp":1771621809397,"version":"3.50.1"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"group-title":"SSRN","reference-count":52,"publisher":"Elsevier BV","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Plastic pollution has emerged as a growing global environmental problem in recent years. As a major region for plastic production and consumption, Asia is at the forefront of this challenge. Although multiple studies have focused on microplastic (MP) pollution in aquatic systems in the region, understanding of their distribution characteristics and ecological impacts in terrestrial ecosystems remain limited, particularly at an intercontinental scale. In addition, standardized ecological risk assessment methods and predictive frameworks for soil MPs remain lacking. This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of MP pollution in Asian countries, focusing on the differences between various regions in terms of quantity density, morphological characteristics (shape, size, and color), and land-use types. By integrating data from 128 studies published between 2018 and 2025, totaling 3370 sampling points, a comprehensive database was constructed to reveal the MP distribution patterns and potential risks. The analysis found significant spatial heterogeneity in Asian regions, with higher concentrations found in South Eastern Asia (8227.55 items\/kg), Eastern Asia (3122.73 items\/kg), and Southern Asia (2407.07 items\/kg). The highest quantity densities of MPs were found in industrial and urban soils (4995.2 and 4359.6 items\/kg), followed by agricultural soils (2812.8 items\/kg), shedding lights on intensive human activities and plastic inputs. In terms of morphological characteristics, fragments, fibers, and films shaped MPs predominated in most soils, with white, transparent, and black particles being the most common. Moreover, analysis showed MPs undergo vertical migration within soil profiles and accumulate gradually, indicating soil is an important sink for MPs. Based on spatial distribution and morphological characteristics, this study evaluated the ecological risk using pollution load index and potential ecological risk index showing certain regions exhibit high risk levels. Lastly, machine learning models were trained to classify and predict future soil MP contamination. This study provides spatial evidence for risk-oriented and predictive assessment of soil MP pollution across Asia and offers data support for future management and policy interventions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.6277360","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]],"date-time":"2026-02-20T20:36:52Z","timestamp":1771619812000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Microplastic distribution and risk assessment in soil environment across Asian regions"],"prefix":"10.2139","author":[{"given":"Zia  Ur","family":"Rehman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Jing","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Chunhui","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5606-970X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lu\u00eds Miguel de Amorim Ferreira","family":"Nunes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Syed  Shabi Ul Hassan","family":"Kazmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2736-7972","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Azeem","family":"Muhammad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Fu","family":"Linxuan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Zhang","family":"Yu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1674-4587","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gang","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"78","reference":[{"key":"ref1","author":"A A M Ali","year":"2024","journal-title":"A review on the presence of microplastics in environmental matrices within Southeast Asia: elucidating risk information through an analysis of microplastic characteristics such as size, shape, and type"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1016\/j.marpolbul.2017.01.082","article-title":"The plastic in microplastics: A review","volume":"119","author":"A L Andrady","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mar. 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