Combined toxicity of microplastics and heavy metals to terrestrial plants: A global meta-analysis integrating machine learning predictions

Machine learning-enhanced meta-analysis unravels the global patterns of microplastic-heavy metal co-toxicity in terrestrial ecosystems

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This meta-analysis of 1,820 datasets found that combined microplastic and heavy metal exposure significantly inhibits plant growth (22% height decrease), reduces microbial diversity, and increases animal intestinal damage and mortality. Nanoscale microplastics amplified heavy metal toxicity the most, suggesting that smaller plastic particles in soil pose the greatest combined pollution risk to ecosystems and food safety.

Microplastic risk assessment and toxicity in plants: a review

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Researchers review how microplastics harm plants across multiple mechanisms — inhibiting growth, inducing oxidative stress, blocking nutrient and metal absorption, and disrupting plant-microbe interactions — with consequences for metabolic pathways, gene expression, and crop yields.

Combined toxicity and ecological impacts of soil microplastics and heavy metals in rhizosphere microenvironments: a comprehensive review

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This systematic review of 109 studies found that co-contamination of rhizosphere soils with microplastics and heavy metals produces non-linear, synergistic effects on soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activity, microbial communities, and plant physiology. The combined toxicity is more persistent and damaging than either contaminant alone, underscoring the need for context-specific risk assessments in agricultural and ecosystem management.

Decoupling Soil Heavy Metal Availability from Plant Uptake under Microplastic Contamination: Evidence from Soil–Plant experiments and Density Functional Theory Modeling

Machine learning aided meta-analysis of the impacts of non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics on soil microbial communities

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Scientists analyzed data from 64 studies to see how "biodegradable" plastics (marketed as eco-friendly alternatives) affect soil health compared to regular plastics. Surprisingly, the biodegradable microplastics actually disrupted soil microbial communities, the tiny organisms that keep soil fertile and support the food we grow, even more than conventional plastics did. This suggests that switching to biodegradable plastics isn't automatically better for soil health, and more research is needed before assuming these products are a safe fix for plastic pollution.