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Tier 2
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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Environmental Sources
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Increasing concentration of pure micro- and macro-LDPE and PP plastic negatively affect crop biomass, nutrient cycling, and microbial biomass
Journal of Hazardous Materials2023
41 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Gwion B. Williams,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Rafael Bargiela,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Martine Graf,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Michaela K. Reay,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Richard P. Evershed,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Michaela K. Reay,
David R. Chadwick
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Peter N. Golyshin,
David R. Chadwick
Martine Graf,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Richard P. Evershed,
Rafael Bargiela,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Gwion B. Williams,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Michaela K. Reay,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Richard P. Evershed,
Richard P. Evershed,
Charles Onyije,
Charles Onyije,
Ian D. Bull,
Gwion B. Williams,
Gwion B. Williams,
Charles Onyije,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Charles Onyije,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Davey L. Jones,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Davey L. Jones,
Ian D. Bull,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Ian D. Bull,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Charlotte Lloyd,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Lucy M. Greenfield,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Ian D. Bull,
Richard P. Evershed,
Ian D. Bull,
Richard P. Evershed,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Richard P. Evershed,
Richard P. Evershed,
David R. Chadwick
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Peter N. Golyshin,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Charlotte Lloyd,
David R. Chadwick
Richard P. Evershed,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Summary
Researchers grew maize in soil mixed with pure polyethylene and polypropylene plastics of different sizes and found that higher plastic concentrations reduced crop biomass, disrupted nutrient cycling, and decreased soil microbial activity. Even plastics without chemical additives negatively affected plant growth, showing that the plastic material itself is harmful to soil health. This matters for food security because agricultural soils are accumulating plastic from mulch films and other farming materials.
Over the last 50 years, the intense use of agricultural plastic in the form of mulch films has led to an accumulation of plastic in soil, creating a legacy of plastic in agricultural fields. Plastic often contains additives, however it is still largely unknown how these compounds affect soil properties, potentially influencing or masking effects of the plastic itself. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pure plastics of varying sizes and concentrations, to improve our understanding of plastic-only interactions within soil-plant mesocosms. Maize (Zea mays L.) was grown over eight weeks following the addition of micro and macro low-density polyethylene and polypropylene at increasing concentrations (equivalent to 1, 10, 25, and 50 years mulch film use) and the effects of plastic on key soil and plant properties were measured. We found the effect of both macro and microplastic on soil and plant health is negligible in the short-term (1 to <10 years). However, ≥ 10 years of plastic application for both plastic types and sizes resulted in a clear negative effect on plant growth and microbial biomass. This study provides vital insight into the effect of both macro and microplastics on soil and plant properties.