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The Growing Problem of Soil Pollution with Microplastics: a Review
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This review examined how microplastic accumulation in soil disrupts physicochemical properties including structure, porosity, and water retention, impairs soil microbial communities, inhibits plant growth, and causes oxidative stress, with agricultural soils identified as especially vulnerable to contamination.
The growing problem of soil pollution with microplastics represents a serious, ubiquitous global threat with significant implications for human health and ecosystems, and agricultural lands are especially at risk. The accumulation of microplastics, especially those smaller than 5mm in size, disrupts the basic physicochemical properties of soil, including its structure, porosity, and water retention capacity. It also negatively impacts soil microbial communities and their activities, which are crucial for soil fertility. Additionally, it inhibits plant growth, causes oxidative stress and allows the transfer of these particles into plants, posing a direct risk to the food chain and human health. Considering its persistence in the environment and its ability to adsorb and transport toxic chemicals, it's necessary to consider establishing a standardized methodology for research and ecological risk assessment as well as developing effective strategies for reducing microplastic input into soil and remediating highly contaminated areas. Key words: Microplastic, pollution, soil, ecosystems, environmental impact
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