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Micro, Nano, and Biodegradable Plastics: Hidden Threats to Plant Health and Soil Function
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics, nanoplastics, and biodegradable plastic particles disrupt plant health and soil function in agroecosystems, finding that these contaminants impair nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and redox balance while inducing oxidative stress, genotoxic effects, and soil property degradation with food safety implications.
Microplastics (MPs) (< 5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs) (< 100 nm) are emerging contaminants in agroecosystems, introduced primarily through irrigation, atmospheric deposition, and soil amendments. These particles compromise plant health and soil function by interfering with nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and redox balance. MPs can induce root shortening, oxidative stress, and cytogenetic abnormalities, while NPs, due to their small size and high surface reactivity, cause more pronounced genotoxic and biochemical disturbances. Growing concern also surrounds biodegradable microplastics (BMPs), which degrade into micro- and nanoplastics with comparable toxicity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the uptake, translocation, and physiological effects of MPs, NPs, and BMPs in plants, focusing on oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance, and nutrient disruption. It further evaluates emerging remediation strategies, including microbial degradation, phytoremediation, and photocatalysis for mitigating plastic-induced stress. Key knowledge gaps regarding the accumulation of plastic particles in crops and their implications for food safety and ecosystem integrity are also highlighted. Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) disrupt plant health, affecting growth, nutrient uptake, and metabolism. MPs and NPs cause oxidative stress, alter enzymes, and degrade soil properties via absorption. Biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) derived from bioplastics pose risks similar to those of traditional microplastics. Extensive research is crucial for understanding the effects of MPs, NPs, and BMPs on soil and plants.
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Microplastics in Soil-Plant Systems
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This review synthesized evidence on microplastic contamination in terrestrial soil-plant systems, examining effects on soil structure, nutrient cycling, microbial communities, and plant uptake of plastic particles. Because plants can absorb microplastics and translocate them into edible tissue, agricultural soil contamination represents a direct and underappreciated pathway of human dietary exposure to plastic particles.
Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Plant Health and Development
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Researchers review the emerging evidence on how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils and affect plant health and development, highlighting that while aquatic impacts are well documented, the effects on terrestrial food crops and soil-plant systems remain poorly understood.
Micro and Nanoplastics in Agricultural Soils: Challenges and Future Directions
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This review examined the sources, behavior, and ecological effects of micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils, highlighting challenges in detection, risk assessment, and regulatory management as plastic use in farming continues to grow. Nanoplastics in particular present heightened concern because their tiny size enables deeper soil penetration, plant uptake into edible tissues, and greater biological reactivity than larger fragments.
Micro- and Nanoplastics: Impact on Crop Plants and Agricultural Practices
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Researchers reviewed the growing contamination of agricultural soil and water by micro- and nanoplastics, finding that plastic debris disrupts soil structure, inhibits seed germination, reduces crop yields, and introduces toxic additives into the food production chain, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating plastic waste generation and agricultural exposure.
Beneath the Surface: Unraveling the Impact of Micro and Nanoplastics on Plant Performance
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Researchers reviewing micro- and nanoplastic effects on plants found that these particles reduce root development, impair photosynthesis by disrupting chlorophyll ratios, and disturb carbon-to-nitrogen balance, posing a significant threat to plant health in contaminated soils.
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