Nosrati, Kazem , Taherinezhad-Javazm, Kazem , Fiener, Peter
2026-12-01 AEOLIAN RESEARCH 2026 77(卷), null(期), (null页)
Understanding wind-driven mobilization of microplastics (MPs) in drylands is essential for evaluating their environmental fate. This study quantified MP transport across four surface land units of the Daranjir Playa (central Iran) using controlled wind-tunnel simulations. Surface soils were spiked with MPs in three size classes (63-125, 125-250, 250-500 mu m) and exposed to threshold wind speeds during three consecutive erosion events. Specific sediment delivery rate (SSDR) decreased by 31-48% across events, reflecting progressive removal of loose materials and the development of surface armoring, except in sand dunes where SSDR increased by 22% due to continuous sand supply. MPs in the upper 1 cm showed consistent depletion, with cumulative losses of 22% in orchards, 25% in alluvial fans, 26% in sand dunes, and 27% in clay pans. Enrichment ratios (ERs) of transported MPs increased in clay pans, alluvial fans, and orchards (1.1-5.3), indicating selective entrainment, whereas ERs declined in dunes as surface MPs became exhausted. A significant negative relationship between SSDR and MP enrichment occurred only for specific MP size fractions within certain land units (p < 0.05). While the overall trend was predominantly negative, several non-significant relationships showed weak explanatory power (R-2 = 0.001-0.40), suggesting that factors beyond sediment delivery intensity contribute to microplastic enrichment patterns. Overall, the results show that MP enrichment during wind erosion is jointly governed by soil properties, surface conditions, and anthropogenic disturbance, underscoring the strong aeolian control on MP redistribution in arid landscapes.