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Interaction of micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) with agricultural stored products and their pests
Summary
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics interact with agricultural stored products, including their effects on grain quality and stored-product pests. Researchers found that these tiny plastic particles can infiltrate grains through atmospheric deposition, packaging residues, and pest activity, potentially altering mineral content, protein composition, and starch synthesis. The study highlights the need for strategies to address both microplastic contamination and pest management in food storage systems.
Micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) pose significant environmental concerns due to their potential implications for ecosystems and human health. While previous research has primarily focused on the environmental impacts (aquatic ecosystem, soil health) of MNPs, this review investigates their interactions with agricultural stored products, specifically their effects on stored product pests and grain quality. MNPs can infiltrate grains through various pathways, including atmospheric deposition, plastic residues from cultivation, and pest activity. These contaminants may influence pest feeding and behavioral patterns, reproductive cycles, and development. Simultaneously, MNPs have the potential to alter grain properties, including mineral content, protein composition, and starch synthesis, potentially compromising nutritional quality. Understanding these interactions is critical for developing strategies to mitigate the dual threats of MNP pollution and pest infestations to stored agricultural products.