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Soil and plant properties in a mesocosm experiment exposed to both new and aged plastic mulch film
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Scientists tested how plastic mulch films used in farming—both regular plastic and "biodegradable" versions, in new and weathered forms—affect soil health, crop growth, and gas emissions when they break down into larger and smaller plastic pieces. This matters because plastic mulch is widely used to grow food, and if it disrupts soil nutrients or microbial activity, it could affect crop quality and contribute to the microplastics that end up in our food and environment. Note that this dataset itself doesn't report specific findings—it's the raw measurements from the experiment, so conclusions about actual health impacts will come from further analysis of
This dataset comprises observations from treatments comparing conventional (LDPE) and biodegradable (PLA/PBAT) plastic mulch films in both new and field-weathered conditions. The dataset was generated from a controlled mesocosm experiment designed by researchers to investigate the effects of plastic mulch films on soil and plant systems. The data were collected during the experimental period and include measurements of soil properties, plant growth, nitrogen dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions, and microbial activity. Plastic materials were applied to soil at three concentrations (0.05%, 0.5%, and 1.5% w/w) and as realistic size mixtures of macro-, meso-, and microplastic fractions (1:1:1). The experiment was conducted using radish (Raphanus sativus L.) grown under controlled mesocosm conditions. Data were collected through a combination of soil sampling, plant measurements, and laboratory analyses. These include soil physicochemical properties (e.g. bulk density, moisture), plant biomass and nutrient uptake (including ¹⁵N fertiliser partitioning), greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. N₂O, CO₂), and indicators of microbial activity. The dataset captures responses across different plastic types, degradation states, and concentrations, providing a structured comparison of their effects under controlled conditions. Further methodological details and experimental procedures are provided in the lineage field and the supporting documentation.
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Dataset for: "Long-term biodegradable mulch films application in agricultural fields: effects on soil functionality and microplastic generation"
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This is a duplicate dataset deposit for the long-term biodegradable mulch film study examining soil functionality and microplastic generation in agricultural fields. The research is relevant to evaluating whether switching from conventional to biodegradable plastic films in farming can genuinely reduce microplastic inputs to soil.
Dataset for: "Long-term biodegradable mulch films application in agricultural fields: effects on soil functionality and microplastic generation"
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This is a dataset accompanying a study on the long-term use of biodegradable mulch films in agricultural fields, examining effects on soil function and whether these films generate microplastics over time. The research addresses a critical question for sustainable agriculture: whether biodegradable plastic alternatives to conventional mulch films genuinely reduce microplastic contamination in farmland soils.
Degradation and microplastic generation, with associated soil properties and microbial communities, of mulch films exposed above and below ground over 12 months, North Wales, UK
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Scientists buried and exposed seven types of plastic mulch films (used by farmers to cover soil) for a year in UK fields to see how fast they break down and how many microplastic particles they shed into soil. This matters because as these plastics degrade, they don't just disappear—they fragment into tiny pieces that build up in farmland soil, potentially entering the food we grow and eat, and the study also looked at how this affects soil health and the microbes living there.
DATASET. Bioplastics in agricultural soils: Biodegradability, analytical techniques, and soil microbial impact
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"Biodegradable" plastic mulches used in farming are often assumed to be a safe, eco-friendly alternative to regular plastic—but this review of existing research finds that current testing methods may overestimate how completely these materials actually break down in soil. That means tiny plastic fragments and leftover residues could be building up in farmland over repeated growing seasons, which matters because these particles can end up in the food we grow and eventually in our bodies, and we still don't fully understand the long-term risks.
Differential effects of field-aged versus new LDPE and PLA/PBAT plastic film fragments on soil quality and crop productivity
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Researchers compared the effects of new versus field-weathered conventional and biodegradable plastic film fragments on soil quality and radish crop growth at various concentrations. They found that degradation state played a crucial role, with aged films increasing soil respiration similarly to organic matter, and aged biodegradable films positively affecting plant nitrogen uptake and biomass. The study emphasizes that research using only new, uniform microplastics may misrepresent how weathered plastic fragments actually behave in agricultural soils.
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