Microplastic pollution in agricultural environments: Origins, impacts, and mitigation strategies

Hazards of Microplastic Pollution in Agriculture

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This review examined the sources and hazards of microplastic pollution in agricultural settings, including plastic mulch degradation, sewage sludge application, and plastic packaging, and their effects on soil health and crop systems. Agricultural microplastic exposure is especially significant for human health because it creates a direct farm-to-table contamination pathway, with particles and leached chemicals potentially present in vegetables, grains, and livestock products.

Understanding the sources of microplastics in agroecosystems

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Researchers challenged the widely held assumption that sewage sludge spread on farmland is the primary source of microplastics in agricultural soils, finding that unrecovered agricultural plastics such as mulch films likely contribute far more — suggesting pollution prevention efforts may be misdirected.

Unravelling the emerging threats of microplastics to agroecosystems

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This review synthesizes evidence that microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils from multiple pathways, disrupting soil physical and chemical properties, shifting rhizosphere microbial communities, and potentially entering plants through water and nutrient uptake channels. Because most microplastic research has focused on aquatic systems, the effects of soil MP contamination on crop yield, food quality, and long-term agricultural sustainability remain critically underexplored.

Microplastics In Drinking Water And Agricultural Soils: Assessing Contamination Sources, Risks, And Mitigation Strategies

Agricultural Plastic Mulching as a Source of Microplastics in the Terrestrial Conditions

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This study examined how agricultural plastic mulching — widely used to boost crop yields and conserve water — degrades and releases microplastics into surrounding terrestrial environments. Agricultural plastics represent a largely underappreciated but massive source of soil microplastic contamination, with direct implications for food crop safety and the long-term health of farmland ecosystems.