We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Micro and nanoplastics as emerging stressors influencing plant metabolism and nutrient dynamics
AI summary Read the abstract
This review of existing research shows that tiny plastic particles in farm soil can get inside plants and change how they grow and absorb nutrients. When plants take up these microplastics, it could affect the nutritional quality of the fruits and vegetables we eat, potentially impacting our food safety. However, scientists still need more long-term studies to fully understand how serious this threat is to our food supply and health.
The widespread contamination of terrestrial ecosystems with micro and nanoplastics (MNPs) poses emerging risks to plant health, food safety, and agroecosystem sustainability. Growing evidence suggests that MNPs interact with plants through multiple exposure pathways, influencing their growth, metabolism, and nutrient dynamics. This review synthesizes current research on the sources of MNPs in agricultural soils, their entry and transport within plants, and their potential impacts on plant primary and secondary metabolism. Particular emphasis is placed on how MNP exposure may alter nutrient allocation, metabolic regulation, and the nutritional quality of edible plant tissues, thereby raising concerns for crop productivity, food security, and human dietary exposure. The review also discusses how soil structural changes, microbial disruption, and contaminant vector effects may indirectly influence plant health and agroecosystem functioning. While current evidence indicates that MNPs could affect plant performance and nutritional outcomes, substantial uncertainties remain due to the predominance of short-term laboratory studies. Key knowledge gaps and future research directions are identified, emphasizing the need for field-scale investigations and integrated risk assessments to better evaluate the long-term implications of MNP contamination in agricultural systems.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in Plants: Impacts on Physiology, Food Safety, and Environmental Sustainability
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic bits, called microplastics, are showing up in soil everywhere and getting absorbed into crops through their roots, according to this review of existing research. This can stunt plant growth and stress the plants, and it means these plastics may end up on your plate when you eat fruits and vegetables. Scientists are still working out how much this affects human health, but the findings suggest we should pay closer attention to plastic pollution in farmland.
Micro/Nanoplastics in Agriculture: Uptake, Translocation and Bioaccumulation in Plants and Their Ecological Implications
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from pollution are building up in farm soils and getting absorbed by plants through their roots, then traveling up into the leaves, fruits, and other parts we eat. This review of existing research shows these plastics can interfere with how plants grow and take up nutrients, and their presence in edible crops raises real concerns about how much plastic might be ending up on our dinner plates. Scientists still need better, standardized tools to detect these particles and develop ways to keep them out of our food supply.
Micro- and Nanoplastics in Agricultural Crop Systems: From Environmental Particles to Plant Phenotypes and Food-System Relevance
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from mulch films, compost, and irrigation water are building up in farm soils, and this review pulls together existing research on how they affect crops—from stressing plant cells to potentially moving into the parts we eat. The evidence that plastics can travel from soil into food is growing but still incomplete, so scientists say more realistic farm-based studies are needed before we know exactly how much this matters for what ends up on our plates.
Particulate plastics-plant interaction in soil and its implications: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics in soil interact with plants, including uptake through roots, accumulation in plant tissues, and effects on growth, nutrient absorption, and soil microbial communities. The study highlights that these plastic particles can alter soil structure and chemistry in ways that affect crop development, raising concerns about food safety and agricultural productivity.
How do nanoplastics hijack crop physiology: A review of uptake pathways and agricultural sustainability implications
AI summary Read the abstract
This research review summarizes how tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can get inside crop plants through their roots and leaves, potentially harming how plants grow and produce food. These ultra-small plastic pieces interfere with how plants absorb nutrients and respond to stress, which could threaten our food supply. Since we eat these crops, understanding how nanoplastics affect plant health is important for protecting both agriculture and human health.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.