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Micro/Nanoplastics in Agriculture: Uptake, Translocation and Bioaccumulation in Plants and Their Ecological Implications
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Tiny plastic particles from pollution are building up in farm soils and getting absorbed by plants through their roots, then traveling up into the leaves, fruits, and other parts we eat. This review of existing research shows these plastics can interfere with how plants grow and take up nutrients, and their presence in edible crops raises real concerns about how much plastic might be ending up on our dinner plates. Scientists still need better, standardized tools to detect these particles and develop ways to keep them out of our food supply.
Plastic pollution has emerged as a major environmental concern due to its persistence and widespread accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems. The extensive utilization of plastics across a diverse range of products, from packaging to healthcare, construction, and transportation, poses a significant risk due to their enduring and non-biodegradable nature. Micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) derived either from the fragmentation of larger plastics or direct release are increasingly detected in agricultural soils, where they interact with plant systems. In addition, chronic exposure of MNPs alters soil structure, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling, further impacting agroecosystem functioning. Plants have been shown to absorb MNPs mostly from contaminated soil and irrigated water through their root systems, allowing their subsequent translocation to aerial tissues. MNPs can enter plants through the aquaporins, apoplast pathways, crack entry modes, and leaf stomata, disrupting nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and growth processes, ultimately affecting crop productivity and quality, while their accumulation in edible tissues raises concerns regarding food safety and trophic transfer. To address these challenges, it is crucial to have standard detection methods for identifying MNPs and to bridge the gap for further mitigation. This review further discussed effective mitigation strategies, including nanomaterial and phytohormone-based interventions under increasing plastic contamination.
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Micro- and nanoplastics in terrestrial plants: uptake, accumulation, and impacts on growth and physiology
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Tiny plastic particles from broken-down waste are building up in soil and getting absorbed by plants through their roots and leaves, according to this review of existing research. Once inside, these particles can stunt seed sprouting, weaken root growth, and interfere with photosynthesis (how plants make energy from sunlight), which matters because these are the same crops we eat. Since the plastic can travel from soil into plant tissue, this raises questions about how much may be passing into our food supply and, ultimately, into us.
Micro- and Nanoplastics in Agricultural Crop Systems: From Environmental Particles to Plant Phenotypes and Food-System Relevance
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Tiny plastic particles from mulch films, compost, and irrigation water are building up in farm soils, and this review pulls together existing research on how they affect crops—from stressing plant cells to potentially moving into the parts we eat. The evidence that plastics can travel from soil into food is growing but still incomplete, so scientists say more realistic farm-based studies are needed before we know exactly how much this matters for what ends up on our plates.
Microplastics in Plants: Impacts on Physiology, Food Safety, and Environmental Sustainability
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Tiny plastic bits, called microplastics, are showing up in soil everywhere and getting absorbed into crops through their roots, according to this review of existing research. This can stunt plant growth and stress the plants, and it means these plastics may end up on your plate when you eat fruits and vegetables. Scientists are still working out how much this affects human health, but the findings suggest we should pay closer attention to plastic pollution in farmland.
Microplastics in Agroecosystems: Pathways, Plant Uptake Mechanisms, and Advanced Scanning Techniques for Detection in Plant Tissues
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This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles from mulch films, fertilizers, and contaminated water can get into farm soil, get absorbed by plant roots, and travel up into the parts of crops we actually eat. Beyond the plastic itself, these particles can carry along other harmful chemicals and heavy metals, raising concerns about what ends up on our dinner plates — though scientists still need better, standardized ways to measure this and more real-world studies before we know the full extent of the risk.
Micro and nanoplastics as emerging stressors influencing plant metabolism and nutrient dynamics
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This review of existing research shows that tiny plastic particles in farm soil can get inside plants and change how they grow and absorb nutrients. When plants take up these microplastics, it could affect the nutritional quality of the fruits and vegetables we eat, potentially impacting our food safety. However, scientists still need more long-term studies to fully understand how serious this threat is to our food supply and health.
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