Coping with the un-natural: Tracking transcriptional activation and macromolecular profiles in Arabidopsis under microplastic exposure

Navigating microplastic-induced stress in plants: adaptations from physiology to gene regulation

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A bibliometric analysis of 84 studies (2017-2025) found that microplastic exposure in plants triggers stress pathway upregulation, reduces seed germination by up to 20%, disrupts nutrient uptake, and elevates antioxidant enzyme activity. These plant-level disruptions matter for human health because microplastic contamination of agricultural systems can degrade food quality, reduce crop yields, and create exposure pathways through the vegetables and grains people eat.

Impact of microplastics on plants: a transcriptome analysis perspective

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This review examined how microplastic exposure disrupts plant biology at the transcriptome level, showing that species like Arabidopsis and maize exhibit differential expression of hundreds to thousands of genes affecting nutrient uptake, growth, and stress responses. Because these molecular disruptions can propagate through food webs, microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils represents a compounding threat to crop productivity and ecosystem stability.

Physiological and Biochemical Effects of Polystyrene Micro/Nano Plastics on Arabidopsis Thaliana

Effects of microplastic on soil ecosystems: a perspective from functional genes

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This review synthesized how microplastics alter soil microbial functional genes involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling, antibiotic resistance, and enzyme activity, with the plastisphere identified as a hotspot for gene exchange among microbes. Disruption of soil microbial gene networks threatens the foundational biogeochemical processes that maintain soil fertility and ecosystem function, with cascading implications for food security and broader environmental health.

Microplastics in Plant Species: Impacts and Ecological Perspectives

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This analysis examined how microplastics affect plant physiology in terrestrial ecosystems, including uptake through roots, translocation into edible tissues, disruption of photosynthesis, and alteration of soil microbial communities that plants depend on. Because many staple crops can absorb and accumulate microplastics from contaminated soil and irrigation water, agricultural microplastic pollution translates directly into human dietary exposure through fruits, vegetables, and grains.