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Data for Crumb rubber microplastics alter soil water dynamics and plant biomass allocation in soybeans
Summary
Scientists grew soybeans in soil mixed with crumb rubber (the black recycled tire bits used on artificial turf and playgrounds) to see how it affects plants and soil. They found that more crumb rubber changed how water moved through soil, altered plant growth patterns, and increased zinc levels in both soil and plant tissue. Since zinc and other chemicals from tire rubber can build up in crops grown in contaminated soil, this raises questions about whether widespread crumb rubber use could affect food safety and soil health over time.
This dataset supports a greenhouse experiment examining the effects of crumb rubber, a recycled tire product commonly used in artificial turf fields, on soil and plant function. Soybeans (Glycine max) were grown in soils containing increasing proportions of crumb rubber (0%, 16.6%, 33.3%, and 50% by weight). Measured variables include germination, plant height, chlorophyll content, soil respiration, biomass production, water loss, root allocation, and elemental composition of soils and plant tissues over a 21-day growth period. The dataset also includes zinc concentrations in soils and plant tissues across the crumb rubber gradient. These data were used to assess how crumb rubber influences plant performance, soil function, water dynamics, and trace metal accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems.