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Microplastics in Agricultural Crops and Their Possible Impact on Farmers’ Health: A Review
Summary
This review summarizes how microplastics from agricultural sources like mulch film, fertilizers, and tractor tires can accumulate in crops and soil. Farmers face occupational exposure to these particles, and the potential health effects highlight the need for safer alternatives to plastic in farming and better protective measures for agricultural workers.
The indiscriminate use of plastic products and their inappropriate management and disposal contribute to the increasing presence and accumulation of this material in all environmental zones. The chemical properties of plastics and their resistance to natural degradation lead over time to the production of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics, which are dispersed in soil, water, and air and can be absorbed by plants, including those grown for food. In agriculture, MPs can come from many sources (mulch film, tractor tires, compost, fertilizers, and pesticides). The possible effects of this type of pollution on living organisms, especially humans, increase the need to carry out studies to assess occupational exposure in agriculture. It would also be desirable to promote alternative materials to plastic and sustainable agronomic practices to protect the safety and health of agricultural workers.
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