Microplastics contamination in agricultural ecosystems: Challenges and sustainable approaches for green environment

Unravelling the emerging threats of microplastics to agroecosystems

AI summary · Read the abstract

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.

Hazards of Microplastic Pollution in Agriculture

AI summary · Read the abstract

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

AI summary · Read the abstract

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.

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

Quantification and Identification of Microplastics in Irrigation Water Systems: Ecological Risks and Mitigation Strategies

AI summary · Read the abstract

A survey of seven sites in a rural irrigation network found microplastic concentrations up to 64.3 particles per liter, with contamination levels strongly correlated with nearby population density and dominated by PET, PP, and PS fibers and films. Because irrigation water directly contacts food crops, widespread microplastic contamination in agricultural water systems represents a significant and underappreciated pathway for human dietary exposure.