Plastics, as new contaminations in soils, occur within also in near-river floodplain soils. Until know it remains unclear, how microplastics are spatially distributed within floodplain soils, how they are reaching those soils and if they interact with other pollutants. Within this study, we found both plastics and heavy metal enrichments within the studied floodplain soils. Both contaminants have a different spatial distribution, indicating different sources and periods of soil contamination.

Pavement joints, defined as the joint between paving stones and filled with different materials, in the inner city area of Marburg (Hesse, Germany) show moderate to high pollution with different heavy metals. Enrichment of heavy metals in pavement joints is related to surface run-off accumulation. As the pollution of pavement joints poses direct risks to the environment and humans in urban areas, the inconspicuous joints should be considered in urban water management strategies.