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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Sign in to save

The Hidden Crisisof Biodegradable Plastics: PolylacticAcid Microplastics Increase Soil Cd and Pb Bioavailability and AssociatedHuman Health Risks

Figshare 2025
Shuling Zhao (742337), Qingliang Cui (12279559), Tianyi Qiu (728329), Xiaozhen Zhu (8905805), Herong Chao (14767471), Baiyan Liu (12869393), Beibei Lian (16701897), Xiaohan Bai (22833850), Shiqi Bian (22833853), Qi Li (67548), Changchao Li (7042256), Jing Chen (4762), Linchuan Fang (389098)

Summary

Researchers conducted a pot experiment to assess how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics affect the soil availability and plant uptake of cadmium and lead in co-contaminated agricultural soils. PLA microplastics increased the bioavailability of both heavy metals, raising human health risks from crops grown in PLA-contaminated soils.

Polymers
PLA

The increasing application of biodegradable plastics like polylactic acid (PLA) has raised concerns about their potential environmental impacts, especially in agricultural soils co-contaminated with heavy metals. However, the mechanisms by which PLA microplastics (MPs) regulate the environmental behavior of heavy metals remain insufficiently understood. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of PLA MPs on cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) dynamics, lettuce uptake, and associated human health risks in a soil–lettuce system. The results demonstrated that PLA MPs altered soil properties, dissolved organic matter composition, and microbial community structure, thereby enhancing Cd (13.0–73.8%) and Pb (8.7–60.9%) bioavailability. Consequently, PLA MPs promoted Cd accumulation and translocation in lettuce, which exhibited photosynthesis inhibition and oxidative damage. Medium and high levels of PLA MPs significantly increased non-carcinogenic (0.4–1.9-fold) and carcinogenic (0.8–2.6-fold) risks associated with heavy metals, with shoot Cd accumulation as the primary contributor. These findings highlight the ecological and health risks of biodegradable MPs, calling for a critical reassessment of their presumed environmental sustainability.

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