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Impact of microplastics in agriculture
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This review paper pulls together existing research on how tiny plastic particles (microplastics) end up in farm soil — often through fertilizers, irrigation water, and plastic mulches used to grow crops. These plastics can harm soil health, disrupt nutrients, and affect the small creatures that keep soil fertile, which may ultimately impact the crops and livestock that end up on our plates. The findings matter because they suggest microplastics could be quietly working their way into our food supply, though more research is needed to understand exactly how this affects human health.
Abstract Plastics are one of the largest mass-produced man-made materials with current estimated global production growth rate at 8.5% per annum, accumulating to a total of around 7,800 Mt plastic produced worldwide. Projected figures estimate that by 2050, the natural environment and landfills will retain 12,000 Mt of plastic waste. Herein lies an unprecedented environmental and ecological issue, with plastic waste releasing microplastics into the environment. Plastics have various uses in agriculture, including mulch, wrapping, potting, and shelter; however, they can also be inadvertently applied to land via sewage sludge, irrigation water, and compost. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the effects microplastics have in the agricultural environment, including effects on soil properties, nutrient cycling, and soil fauna, which have consequences for livestock and crop yields. The review also considers the combined effects of microplastics and other agricultural chemicals such as pesticides and antibiotics.
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Microplastics in the agricultural soils: Pollution behavior and subsequent effects
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This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics accumulate in farmland through fertilizers, irrigation, plastic mulch, and atmospheric fallout. Microplastics change soil structure, harm beneficial microbes, and can be taken up by crops, moving through the food chain to humans. The authors emphasize that more research is needed to understand the long-term health risks of eating food grown in microplastic-contaminated soil.
Microplastics in agricultural soils: sources, impacts on soil organisms, plants, and humans
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This review examines how microplastics get into farm soils from sources like plastic mulching, wastewater, and fertilizers, and how they affect soil organisms, plant growth, and ultimately human health. The research shows microplastics can damage crop roots, harm earthworms and soil life, and when they enter the food chain, may cause liver damage, inflammation, and immune system problems in people.
Microplastics in agricultural soils: sources, soil–plant interactions, ecotoxicological effects and food security concerns
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This review pulls together existing research on how tiny plastic bits get into farm soil, through mulch, wastewater, and even air, and shows they can harm soil health and be absorbed by crops. Since plants can carry these particles into the parts we eat, this raises real questions about microplastics entering our food supply and affecting human health, though more long-term studies are needed to know the full impact.
Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: An Emerging Threat to Soil Health, Microbial Ecology, Crop Productivity, and Food Safety
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This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that these particles can disrupt soil microbial communities, harm plant health, and potentially enter the human food chain. The study highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to address this growing but often overlooked form of pollution in farmland.
Microplastics in agricultural soils, their sources, environmental impacts, ecological risks, and mitigation strategies
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Tiny plastic bits are building up in farm soil from sources like plastic mulch, sewage-based fertilizers, and irrigation water, and this review of existing research shows they can mess with soil's ability to hold water and nutrients while also acting as hitchhikers for heavy metals, pesticides, and harmful germs. Since this soil grows our food, contaminated farmland could mean these pollutants—and the microplastics themselves—end up on our plates. The good news: solutions like biodegradable farm materials, natural soil additives, and better monitoring could help curb the problem if adopted widely.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.