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Agricultural films derived microplastics intensify acetochlor toxicity on soil health
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Researchers examined whether microplastics from agricultural plastic films worsen the toxic effects of the herbicide acetochlor on soil health. They found that both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PBAT microplastics combined with the herbicide caused soil acidification, depleted organic carbon, and disrupted microbial communities more severely than either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics from farming materials may amplify the harmful effects of commonly used agricultural chemicals on soil ecosystems.
Herbicide acetochlor (ACT) is widely used in agricultural production, but it remains unclear whether microplastics (MPs) from agricultural films exacerbate its harmful effects on soil health. Here, a microcosm cultivation experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of PE (Polyethylene)-MPs and PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate)-MPs with ACT (MPs/ACT) on soil health. Results showed that MPs/ACT treatment caused soil acidification, depletion of organic carbon and ammonium, altered enzyme activities, and influenced greenhouse gas emissions compared to ACT alone. MPs/ACT co-exposure also restructured microbial communities, reducing alpha diversity, increasing co-occurrence network complexity, enriching putative contaminant degraders, and enhancing the relative abundance of key nitrogen-cycling genes, enzymes, and carbon-cycling genes. Notably, PBAT/ACT stimulated nitrification-denitrification processes more than PE/ACT, indicating polymer-specific effects on soil nutrient cycling. Overall, MPs/ACT decreased soil health by 8.89 % - 14.63 %, greater than 8.39 % caused by ACT alone. These results demonstrate that MPs exacerbate the toxic effects of ACT on soil health. Mitigation strategies, such as reducing MP inputs, optimizing herbicide use, and incorporating biochar or microbial amendments, may help to restore soil health and maintain ecosystem stability. This study provides critical insights into the compounded impacts of MPs and herbicides on soil ecosystems.
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Acetochlor promotes the aging of mulch-derived microplastics in soil by altering the plastisphere microbial community
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Researchers investigated the interaction between the herbicide acetochlor and mulch-derived microplastics in soil and found that the herbicide significantly accelerated the fragmentation and aging of the plastic particles. Acetochlor enriched on microplastic surfaces and promoted biofilm development, with the bacterium Pseudomonas becoming dominant due to its ability to degrade both the herbicide and polyethylene. The findings reveal a complex feedback loop where agricultural chemicals can worsen microplastic pollution by accelerating plastic breakdown in farmland soils.
Adsorption of neonicotinoid insecticides by mulch film-derived microplastics and their combined toxicity
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Researchers studied how microplastics from agricultural mulch films interact with common insecticides used on crops. They found that biodegradable plastic (PBAT) microplastics adsorbed more pesticide than conventional polyethylene microplastics, and that aging increased this adsorption capacity. When combined, the microplastics and insecticides were more toxic to soil organisms than either pollutant alone, suggesting an underappreciated risk in agricultural soils.
Combined effects of mulch film-derived microplastics and pesticides on soil microbial communities and element cycling
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Researchers studied how microplastics from agricultural plastic mulch film interact with commonly used pesticides in cotton field soil. When present together, the pesticides had a stronger impact on soil bacteria than the microplastics alone, and the combination disrupted important nutrient cycling processes for carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. This matters because farmland contaminated with both microplastics and pesticides may experience compounding damage to soil health, ultimately affecting food production.
Legacy herbicide bound to PLA-PBAT and LDPE plastic mulch film fragments in soil can induce phytotoxicity to subsequent crops
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Old herbicide residues can stick to plastic mulch film fragments left in farm soil, and when those tiny plastic pieces break down, they can slowly release the chemical and stunt crop growth—cutting corn plant biomass by up to 87% in this study. Surprisingly, "biodegradable" plastic film absorbed even more herbicide than regular plastic, and the smallest plastic fragments (microplastics) caused the most damage—suggesting that switching to biodegradable plastics isn't automatically a safer choice for soil health, and that leftover microplastics in farmland deserve closer attention as a hidden way
Does Microplastic Contamination in Agricultural Soils Decrease the Efficiency of Herbicides for Weed Control?
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Researchers investigated how microplastic contamination in agricultural soils affects herbicide performance. They found that microplastics absorb herbicides onto their surfaces, reducing the chemicals' availability for weed control and slowing their degradation by inhibiting soil microbial activity. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in farmland may undermine herbicide efficacy while increasing the persistence of these chemicals in the environment.
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