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Microplastics as Source or Sink of Potentially Toxic Elements: Dynamics in the Soil–Plant System
Original title: Microplastics as Source or Sink of Potentially Toxic Elements: Dynamics in the Soil–Plant System
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Tiny plastic bits in soil don't just sit there—they can either trap toxic metals (like lead or cadmium) and keep them away from plants, or release and carry those metals deeper into the soil and into crops, depending on conditions. This matters because the food we grow may be affected by this hidden interaction between plastic pollution and toxic metals in farmland, though scientists are still working out exactly when microplastics make things better or worse. This paper reviews existing research on the topic rather than presenting new experimental findings.
Soils are increasingly affected by microplastic (MP) contamination, mainly coming from industrial activities, agricultural practices, atmospheric or waterborne transport, and improper waste disposal. Despite the increasing attention to the fate of MPs in soil over the last few years, research in this area is still limited compared to aquatic ecosystems. The introduction of MPs into the soil environment can modify not only the soil properties but also the interactions among soil components, plants, and microorganisms, thus affecting the mobility and availability of other contaminants, such as potentially toxic elements (PTEs). This review critically examines the complex dynamics between MPs and PTEs in the soil ecosystem, with a focus on the conditions under which MPs can act as a source or a sink of PTEs. Indeed, on the one hand, MPs can adsorb or complex PTEs on their surfaces (similarly to natural soil colloids), thus reducing their mobility and availability; on the other hand, they can release/mobilize PTEs after MP degradation or act as micro-/nano-vectors of PTEs. Understanding such mechanisms is relevant when evaluating the environmental risks associated with the co-presence of MPs and PTEs in soil, a situation likely to occur in most contaminated sites and in many agricultural soils.
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Microplastics as Source or Sink of Potentially Toxic Elements: Dynamics in the Soil-Plant System
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