We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The positive effects of polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics on agricultural soil quality
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted three-month pot experiments testing polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics in agricultural soil, finding several unexpected positive effects including increased soil enzyme activity, higher organic carbon content, greater cation exchange capacity, and lower bulk density at certain concentrations.
Microplastics are widespread contaminants in agricultural soils. Owing to the different properties of microplastics and soil components, microplastics may affect the function and stability of soil ecosystems. However, the effects of microplastics on agricultural soil quality remain largely unknown. The 3-month pot experiments were performed to investigate the responses of soil physical (i.e., soil bulk density, saturation moisture capacity, and porosity), chemical (i.e., pH, CEC, TOC, TN, TP, and AK content), and biological indicators (i.e., catalase, urease, and dehydrogenase activity) to polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics with different concentrations (i.e., 0.1%, 0.3%, and 1.0%, w/w). Soil bulk density was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased after exposure to PP, which was attributed to the low density of PP. But apart from that, PP and PVC had negligible effects on other soil physical properties. Although PP and PVC decreased soil pH, it remained within the neutral range. Owing to the higher content of carbon, PP had a stronger promoting effect on TOC content than PVC. Soil CEC increased with PP concentration, and 1% (w/w) PP significantly increased soil CEC. The activities of soil catalase, urease, and dehydrogenase increased after exposure to PP and PVC at certain concentrations. Generally, PP had a stronger promoting effect on soil enzyme activity than PVC. Microplastic effects on soil quality depended on microplastic types and concentrations. Overall, PP and PVC microplastics induced several positive effects, such as increasing soil enzyme activity, soil CEC, and TOC content, and decreasing soil bulk density, on soil quality. Our research findings highlight the positive effects of microplastics on agricultural soil fertility.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in Agricultural Soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed what is known about microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, noting that despite hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic entering the environment annually, very little is understood about how microplastics persist, migrate, and affect soil ecosystems. This knowledge gap is concerning given that contaminated soil directly affects food crops consumed by humans.
Soil health and microplastics: a review of the impacts of microplastic contamination on soil properties
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed a decade of studies on microplastic contamination in soil and found that microplastics alter soil chemistry and biology in complex ways depending on plastic type and concentration, with impacts expected to worsen as global plastic production continues to rise.
Review of microplastics in soils: state-of-the-art occurrence, transport, and investigation methods
AI summary Read the abstract
This review synthesizes sampling, pretreatment, and analytical methods for detecting microplastics in soil environments, noting that research has largely focused on contamination levels rather than behavioral dynamics and ecological impacts. The authors call for standardized testing protocols and predictive behavior models as microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils increasingly threatens food safety and ecosystem health.
Impact of microplastics on soil (physical and chemical) properties, soil biological properties/soil biota, and response of plants to it: a review
AI summary Read the abstract
This comprehensive review synthesizes evidence that microplastics alter soil physical structure, chemical properties including pH and nutrient cycling, and the communities of earthworms, collembolans, and microbes that maintain soil health, with cascading effects on plant growth and agricultural productivity. Because healthy soils underpin global food production, microplastic-driven degradation of soil ecosystems represents a long-term threat to food security and introduces a terrestrial route by which plastic contaminants accumulate in crops consumed by humans.
Microplastics in soil: a review on research status, sources, methods, and remediation strategies
AI summary Read the abstract
A comprehensive literature review found that soil microplastic research lags far behind aquatic studies despite annual MP discharge into farmland exceeding marine inputs, with synthetic textiles, tire wear, and urban dust as dominant sources entering soil via atmospheric deposition, sewage irrigation, and agricultural film use. The soil MP burden threatens food crop health, risks leaching into groundwater, and poses intergenerational health risks through nutrient disruption and potential plant-to-human transmission pathways.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.