We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics As Modulators Of Soil Nutrient Cycling Under Hydrological Connectivity In Earth's Critical Zone
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together research showing that tiny plastic particles in farm soil are messing with how soil handles carbon and nitrogen, disrupting the natural processes that keep soil healthy and fertile. It also flags tire particles and a toxic chemical they release (6PPD-quinone) as an emerging concern, since these are building up in roadside soils and harming soil organisms. This matters because healthy soil underpins the food we eat, so long-term damage to soil nutrient cycles could eventually affect crop quality and food security, even though direct human health effects are still being studied.
Microplastics have emerged as pervasive contaminants in terrestrial ecosystems, with agricultural soils serving as major sinks through sources including plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge on how microplastics modulate soil nutrient cycling within the Earth's Critical Zone, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of hydrological connectivity. The physical presence of microplastics fundamentally alters soil structure, porosity, aggregate stability, and hydraulic properties in polymer- and concentration-dependent manners, creating preferential flow pathways that govern both microplastic transport and nutrient dynamics. Biodegradable microplastics generally exert more pronounced effects than conventional polymers, increasing CO₂ emissions while simultaneously altering microbial carbon use efficiency. Nitrogen cycling is consistently disrupted, with reduced nitrate concentrations, enhanced N₂O emissions (up to 140.6% increase), and shifts in nitrogen-transforming microbial guilds. Tire wear particles and their associated chemicals, particularly the highly toxic transformation product 6PPD-quinone, represent emerging contaminants of high concern with substantial emissions (estimated 79.5 kt annually in the U.S.), accumulation in roadside soils (up to 26,400 mg/kg), and demonstrated toxicity to soil biota. The effects of microplastics on nutrient cycling are profoundly context-dependent, modulated by soil properties, microplastic characteristics, environmental conditions, and biological factors. Significant knowledge gaps remain regarding deep Critical Zone processes, temporal dynamics, and interactive effects with global change factors. As plastic production continues to increase, understanding and mitigating the effects of microplastics on soil nutrient cycling under varying hydrological regimes represents a pressing environmental imperative with implications for soil health, agricultural productivity, and climate regulation.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics As Modulators Of Soil Nutrient Cycling Under Hydrological Connectivity In Earth's Critical Zone
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic bits from mulch, sludge, and tire wear are building up in farm soils and messing with how the soil handles carbon and nitrogen — this review of existing studies found effects like increased greenhouse gas emissions and disrupted nutrient cycles that plants need to grow. This matters because healthier soil means safer, more reliable food production, and the chemicals released from tire particles (like a toxic compound called 6PPD-quinone) are showing up in concerning amounts near roads, raising questions about their broader environmental and health impact that scientists are still working to understand.
Microplastics in Agroecosystems: Effects on Soil Microbiome, Nutrient Dynamics, and Fungal Interactions
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together existing research showing that tiny plastic particles building up in farm soil can throw off the natural processes that keep soil healthy—disrupting helpful microbes, weakening nutrient cycles like nitrogen fixation, and harming beneficial fungi that plants rely on. Since these disruptions can hurt crop growth and soil fertility, and since microplastics may work their way into the food we eat, this matters for both the food supply and potential long-term human health effects that scientists are still working to understand.
Microplastics as an Emerging Environmental Pollutant in Agricultural Soils: Effects on Ecosystems and Human Health
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics enter and move through agricultural soil ecosystems, affecting soil properties, nutrient cycling, and the organisms that live in and depend on healthy soil. Researchers found that microplastics can alter key biogeochemical processes and interact with co-existing pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides, potentially compounding their harmful effects. The study highlights the need for prevention and control strategies as microplastic contamination of farmland becomes an increasingly recognized environmental and potential human health concern.
Microplastic effects on soil nitrogen storage, nitrogen emissions, and ammonia volatilization in relation to soil health and crop productivity: mechanism and future consideration
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics made from polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene affect nitrogen cycling and ammonia release in agricultural soils. Researchers found that these plastic particles can alter soil structure, shift microbial community composition, and disrupt the processes that store and release nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in farmland may have cascading effects on soil fertility and crop productivity.
A Comprehensive Review on Changes in Rhizosphere Soil Mediated by Microplastics: Soil Property, Microbial Gene Expression and Crop Growth
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from farm plastics, fertilizers, and polluted water are building up in agricultural soil, and this review pulls together existing research showing they can disrupt soil bacteria and fungi, harm soil creatures like worms, and interfere with how crops absorb nutrients and grow. While scientists haven't yet directly studied how this affects the safety or nutritional quality of the food we eat, these soil disruptions raise real questions about the long-term health of our food supply. More research is needed to understand exactly how microplastic pollution in farmland could eventually reach our dinner plates.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.