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Microplastics in soil—uptake, fate, transport, and effect on the growth of plants
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This review examines the mechanisms by which microplastics enter soil through agricultural practices, climate events, and soil organism activity, and summarizes current evidence on plant uptake -- driven primarily by transpiration pull -- and translocation of plastic particles through plant tissues. The authors identify significant knowledge gaps regarding long-term soil microplastic behavior and ecological effects on plant growth and nutritional quality.
Microplastics (MPs) are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in size. The omnipresence of MPs in the environment poses a significant and undeniable concern, given their heightened durability and widespread use in agricultural activities. Agricultural practices, climatic shifts (manifested in wet weather and heavy rainfall), and the activities of soil organisms collectively play a pivotal role in the dispersion of MPs in soil. Moreover, the dominant factor in the plant uptake and movement of plastic particles is identified as transpiration pull. Soil has emerged as a significant long-term repository for MP debris and limited research has revealed the widespread presence of fibrous and fragmented MPs in soils worldwide. Overall, the issue of MPs requires a multi-faceted approach involving collective efforts from governments, industries, scientists, and individuals to effectively address and minimize the impacts of these tiny but significant pollutants on the environment. The uptake of MPs by plants and their transport is an emerging area of concern in environmental science and agriculture . This chapter focuses on the intricate interplay between MPs and soil, focusing on their uptake, fate, transport, and subsequent impacts on the growth of plants.
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Uptake and transport of micro/nanoplastics in terrestrial plants: Detection, mechanisms, and influencing factors
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This review summarizes how micro and nanoplastics enter and move through plants, including uptake through roots and leaves via processes like endocytosis and movement through cell walls. Smaller particles penetrate more easily, and factors like surface charge and soil conditions affect how much plastic plants absorb. The findings are important because they show that crops can take up microplastics from contaminated soil, creating a potential pathway for these particles to reach the human diet.
Research Progress on the Mechanisms of Terrestrial Plant Uptake, Transport, and Growth Inhibition Responses to Micro (nano) Plastics
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This review synthesizes current research on how terrestrial plants take up micro- and nanoplastics from contaminated soil, finding that particles can enter through roots, accumulate in plant tissues, block root function, and trigger oxidative damage that stunts growth. These pathways mean that food crops grown in microplastic-contaminated soils could expose humans to plastic particles through the diet, in addition to the harm caused to agricultural productivity.
Microplastics in Soil–Plant Systems: Current Knowledge, Research Gaps, and Future Directions for Agricultural Sustainability
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This review summarizes current knowledge about how microplastics affect agricultural soils and the plants growing in them, including changes to soil structure, nutrient availability, and root zone biology. Understanding how microplastics move through the soil-plant system is critical because contaminated crops are a major pathway for these particles to reach the human diet.
A Systematic Review on Emission, Accumulation, Mechanism, and Toxicity Perspective of Micro‐Nanoplastics in the Soil–Plant Nexus
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This systematic review examines how micro- and nanoplastics enter soil, accumulate in plants, and move through the soil-plant system. The research shows that microplastics alter soil properties, affect plant growth, and can be taken up by crop roots and transported to edible plant parts. This is a direct concern for human health because it means microplastics in agricultural soil may end up in the fruits and vegetables people consume.
Micro/Nanoplastics in Agriculture: Uptake, Translocation and Bioaccumulation in Plants and Their Ecological Implications
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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.
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