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Influences of microplastics alone and co-contaminated with cadmium on physiological responses of Chinese cabbage ( Brassica campestris L.), rhizosphere microbes and soil properties in soil
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Scientists tested how plastic pollution (microplastics) and cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, affect Chinese cabbage grown in contaminated soil, both matter because they can build up in crops we eat and impact human health. Surprisingly, small-to-moderate amounts of microplastics actually helped protect the cabbage from cadmium's harmful effects by changing soil chemistry and boosting helpful soil microbes, though this doesn't mean microplastic pollution is safe overall. This research shows the relationship between plastic pollution and toxic metals in soil is complicated, and more study is needed before we underst
Cadmium (Cd) and microplastics (MPs) alone can degrade soils, reduce crop yields and quality, and enter the food chain, seriously affecting human health. However, our understanding of how the two work together is limited. Here, we explore the effects of two types of MPs, polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), on Chinese cabbage in terms of physiological responses, soil properties, and the structure and function of the soil microbial community. Potting experiments were conducted separately with PE and PVC set at five doses (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 5%, w/w) in combination with Cd contamination (0 and 5 mg Cd/kg soil). The treatments with 0.1% PE and 1% PVC were more effective in lessening the inhibition of Cd on the root system. The contents of Chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll b in Chinese cabbage exhibited a propensity to increase and subsequently fall with MP concentration. We demonstrate that MPs increase the pH of soil by 0.09–0.46, whereas Cd addition lowers it by 0.03–0.40. Furthermore, soil catalase and soil urease enzyme activities were significantly impacted by MPs and Cd. The Shannon and Simpson indices of soil microorganisms increased with 5% PVC. The existence of appropriate doses of MPs can reduce Cd stress.
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The effects of different types microplastics on soil properties and the biochemistry of Chinese cabbage under different dosages and exposure times
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Microplastics from packaging and other plastic waste are building up in farm soils, and this study found that they can change soil quality and stress out crops like Chinese cabbage, altering nutrients, water content, and the plant's natural defense systems, especially at high concentrations. While this research looked at soil and plant health rather than testing the cabbage for human safety, it's a reminder that the plastic pollution we create doesn't just disappear, it may be quietly affecting the soil that grows our food.
Synergistic effect of microplastics and cadmium on microbial community and functional taxa in wheat rhizosphere soil
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A greenhouse experiment combining polyethylene microplastics and cadmium in wheat rhizosphere soil found their interaction suppressed bacterial diversity by up to 38%, reduced nitrogen-fixing populations, and elevated saprophytic fungi — effects that differed significantly from single-contaminant exposures. This synergistic disruption of soil microbial communities threatens key nutrient cycling functions and food security in agricultural soils increasingly co-contaminated with microplastics and heavy metals.
Single and combined effects of secondary polyethylene microplastic on the growth of Pak choi and the soil microbiome composition
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Researchers found that secondary polyethylene microplastics (aged via weathering and mechanical stress) significantly inhibited Pak choi growth, caused oxidative damage to plant cells, and altered soil microbial composition, while showing antagonistic combined effects with DDT and naphthalene due to MP adsorption of co-contaminants. Agriculturally realistic aged PE microplastics harm food crops and disrupt the soil microbiome, with soil chemical properties changing in ways that could affect long-term agricultural productivity.
Polypropylene microplastics alter the cadmium adsorption capacity on different soil solid fractions
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Researchers found that polypropylene microplastics reduce soil's ability to bind the toxic heavy metal cadmium, with the effect varying by soil composition and microplastic aging — suggesting that microplastic contamination could indirectly increase the risk of heavy metals leaching into groundwater.
Relevance of dissolved organic matter components on the adsorption behaviors of cadmium onto non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics in an agricultural soil
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Researchers found that microplastics in agricultural soil — both conventional and biodegradable types — reduce the soil's ability to bind cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, largely by altering organic matter that controls metal mobility. This suggests microplastic contamination could increase cadmium availability in farmland, raising potential food safety concerns.
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