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Microplastics and nanoplastics in agriculture—A potential source of soil and groundwater contamination?
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics (tiny plastic fragments) contaminate agricultural soils and can migrate through the soil into groundwater, potentially carrying pesticides and other chemicals with them. They conclude that current analytical tools are inadequate and that plastic fragmentation in soils is a poorly understood but serious threat to drinking water supplies.
Abstract An overview of the current state of knowledge on the pollution of agricultural soils with microplastic and nanoplastic (MnP) particles is provided and the main MnP sources are discussed. MnP transport mechanisms from soil to groundwater, as well as the potential impact of MnPs on soil structure are considered, and the relevance of co-contaminants such as agrochemicals is further highlighted. We elaborate on why MnPs in soil and groundwater are understudied and how analytical capabilities are critical for furthering this crucial research area. We point out that plastic fragmentation in soils can generate secondary MnPs, and that these smaller particles potentially migrate into aquifers. The transport of MnP in soils and groundwater and their migration and fate are still poorly understood. Higher MnP concentrations in agricultural soils can influence the sorption behavior of agrochemicals onto soil grains while attachment/detachment of MnPs onto soil grains and MnP-agrochemical interactions can potentially lead to enhanced transport of both MnP particles and agrochemicals towards underlying groundwater systems.
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This review found that agricultural activities—particularly plastic mulches, pesticide containers, and fertilizer bags—are major sources of micro- and nanoplastic contamination in groundwater, with nanoplastics showing enhanced mobility in soil and elevated persistence compared to surface water contaminants.
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics move through agricultural soil and interact with agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. The study highlights that industrialization-driven plastic accumulation fragments into microplastics in farming environments, where their interactions with agricultural chemicals may amplify environmental and food safety risks.
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Researchers reviewed how plastic fragmentation in agricultural soils — driven by UV exposure, plowing, wind, and water — produces microplastics that enter plant root systems and the food chain, with evidence that both biotic transport through invertebrates and abiotic mechanisms distribute particles throughout the soil ecosystem.
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Researchers review how microplastics in agricultural soils act as vectors for heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants, using their high surface area and hydrophobicity to adsorb toxic compounds and increase their mobility and bioavailability, with cascading effects on soil structure, microbial communities, and food chain contamination.
Tiny toxins, big problems: the hidden threat of microplastic in agroecosystems
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This review examines the impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, covering sources from plastic mulch and irrigation, effects on soil structure, water retention, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling, and consequences for crop health and food safety.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.