We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: An Emerging Threat to Soil Health, Microbial Ecology, Crop Productivity, and Food Safety
Summary
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 have emerged as a pervasive environmental pollutant, infiltrating terrestrial ecosystems, including agricultural soils. These tiny plastic particles (<5 mm) originate from various sources, such as plastic mulching, sewage sludge application, and atmospheric deposition. Their persistence in soils poses significant risks to soil microbial communities, plant health, and ultimately human wellbeing through the food chain. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the sources, distribution, and fate of microplastics in agricultural soils, their effects on soil microbial diversity and function, and the potential implications for human health. We also discuss mitigation strategies and future research directions to address this growing environmental concern.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Tiny toxins, big problems: the hidden threat of microplastic in agroecosystems
This review examines the impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, covering sources from plastic mulch and irrigation, effects on soil structure, water retention, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling, and consequences for crop health and food safety.
Microplastics in agricultural soils: sources, impacts, and mitigation strategies
This review summarizes how microplastics enter agricultural soils through wastewater irrigation, plastic mulch breakdown, and atmospheric deposition, where they alter soil structure, microbial communities, and water retention. The particles can also carry heavy metals and organic pollutants into the food chain, threatening both crop productivity and human health, making it important to reduce plastic use in farming and improve waste management.
Microplastics as an Emerging Environmental Pollutant in Agricultural Soils: Effects on Ecosystems and Human Health
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.
Microplastics in Agricultural Soils
This review covers the presence of microplastics in agricultural soils, examining how plastic mulches, irrigation water, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition contribute to farmland contamination. It discusses effects on soil organisms and the risk of microplastics entering the food chain through crops.
Microplastic: Evaluating the Impact on Soil-Microbes and Plant System
This review examines how microplastics affect soil microbial communities and plant systems in agricultural settings, documenting impacts on soil health, microbial diversity, and crop physiology. As microplastics accumulate in farmland soils through irrigation, sludge application, and plastic mulches, their effects on the soil ecosystem that underpins food production are a growing concern.