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Effects of Microplastics on Carbon and Nitrogen Turnover Processes in the Rhizosphere of Crops
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This study tested how different types of microplastics affect soil in farm fields, mixing plastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyester fibers into three soil types. Effects on water retention and flow varied by soil type and plastic type: polyester fibers changed water retention differently depending on soil, while polystyrene and polypropylene reduced pore space and blocked water flow.
Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants in agricultural soils, where they alter soil structure, hydraulic properties, microbial communities, and plant performance. This work investigates the influence of soil texture and MP type on soil hydraulic properties, early winter wheat growth, and MP mineralization dynamics. In Chapter 2, the effects of four MP types (LDPE, PP, PS, and PES microfibers) on the hydraulic properties of three soils with contrasting textures (Luvisol, Albic Luvisol, and Chernozem) were evaluated at a concentration of 0.4% w/w. Results demonstrated that MP impacts on water retention and hydraulic conductivity varied with soil type, moisture conditions, and MP properties. With PES microfibers generally enhancing water retention in finer soils but reducing it in sandy soils, while PS and PP particles tended to reduce soil porosity and block pores, hindering water flow. In contrast, LDPE did not show significant influence on soil water hydraulics....
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Microplastics affect C, N, and P cycling in natural environments: Highlighting the driver of soil hydraulic properties
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This study found that common microplastics like polyethylene and polypropylene significantly change how soil handles water and nutrients by increasing water content, reducing soil density, and altering bacterial communities involved in nitrogen and carbon cycling. These changes affected how nutrients are stored in soil, with increases of 12 to 93 percent in nitrogen and carbon storage depending on the plastic type and amount. The findings suggest microplastic pollution could disrupt the fundamental soil processes that support food production.
PE microplastics altered microbial resource limitation and C/N use efficiency in cotton rhizosphere soil
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Polyethylene microplastics added to cotton field soil disrupted the balance of carbon and nitrogen available to soil microbes, with effects that varied by particle size and concentration. Smaller particles tended to boost carbon-use efficiency but impair nitrogen cycling, while larger particles reduced microbial biomass through physical interference—findings that matter for understanding how agricultural plastic waste degrades soil fertility over time.
Effect of different polymers of microplastics on soil organic carbon and nitrogen – A mesocosm experiment
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Researchers found that adding polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics to agricultural soil altered carbon and nitrogen dynamics, with biodegradable microplastics having stronger effects on soil organic carbon decomposition and nutrient cycling than conventional plastics.
Do Added Microplastics, Native Soil Properties, and Prevailing Climatic Conditions Have Consequences for Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in Soil? A Global Data Synthesis of Pot and Greenhouse Studies
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This meta-analysis examined how microplastics affect carbon and nitrogen levels in soil, which are key to soil fertility. The results show that certain types of plastics — especially smaller, fiber-shaped particles — can significantly alter soil chemistry, potentially affecting crop growth and soil health.
Effects of microplastic particles on vertical water flow in soil columns
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Researchers investigated how different types of microplastic particles added to soil columns at varying concentrations affect water flow through the soil profile. They found that certain microplastic shapes and concentrations altered the soils hydraulic conductivity, with potential implications for irrigation efficiency and water movement in plastic-contaminated agricultural fields. The study addresses an underexplored aspect of microplastic impact on soil function.
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