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Bioaccumulation of microplastics in soil-crop systems and potential risks to food safety
Summary
Researchers quantified microplastic contamination in soil profiles and crop tissues across three farming scenarios in Uganda including wastewater-irrigated, plastic-mulched, and control plots. The study found measurable microplastic uptake into crop tissues, raising food safety concerns about agricultural practices that introduce plastics into the soil-crop system.
Plastic waste entered agricultural soils long before anyone thought to measure it there. This research quantified microplastic (MP) contamination across soil profiles and crop tissues in three farming scenarios-wastewater-irrigated, plastic-mulched rainfed, and control-at Makerere University’s Agricultural Research Institute, Kabanyolo (0°28′N, 32°37′E) from March 2020 to February 2022. Soil cores (0–30 cm, six depth intervals) and tissues of maize, common bean, and tomato were analysed by density separation followed by micro-FTIR spectroscopy. Wastewater-irrigated plots contained the highest soil MP load (347.2 particles kg⁻¹ at 0–5 cm), declining sharply with depth. Root tissues accumulated the most MPs across all crops (23.8–31.2 particles kg⁻¹ dry weight), while edible portions-grain, seed, and fruit-contained 0.6–4.8 particles kg⁻¹. Polyethylene and polypropylene fragments dominated (71.3% combined). These concentrations remain below current proposed safety thresholds but raise questions about long-term dietary exposure.