[Effects of Enzyme Activities and Metabolomics of Wheat Rhizosphere Soil Under Biodegradable Microplastics].

Summary

Even "biodegradable" plastics may not be as harmless to soil as we think: this study found that when these plastics break down in soil around wheat roots, they change soil chemistry and disrupt the activity of enzymes that plants and soil microbes rely on to stay healthy. Since wheat is a staple food crop, changes to soil health could eventually affect crop quality and the safety of our food supply, making this an early warning sign worth watching as biodegradable plastics become more common.