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Micro and nanoplastics in terrestrial ecosystems: pathways, health implications, and mitigation strategies
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Tiny plastic fragments from things like plastic mulch, tires, and compost are building up in farm soils, breaking down further, and getting absorbed by plant roots, meaning they could be entering the food we eat. This review pulls together existing research showing these particles can also harm soil health and plant growth, and while early studies suggest they may cause inflammation and cellular stress in living things, scientists still don't have solid data on how risky this is for human health. The takeaway: it's a real and growing concern worth watching, but more research is needed before we know exactly how much it affects us.
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are increasingly recognized as persistent contaminants in terrestrial landscapes, with agricultural soils serving as significant reservoirs and secondary sources. The primary sources of these inputs include mulching films, tire and road-surface degradation, wastewater sludge and compost application, synthetic textiles, and atmospheric deposition, resulting in persistent accumulation in both managed and natural soil environments. Upon incorporation into the soil matrix, MNPs undergo fragmentation, surface aging, and biofilm development, which collectively alter their physicochemical characteristics, mobility, and interactions with soil minerals, organic matter, and microbial consortia. Empirical and field-based investigations demonstrate that MNPs can modify soil structure and nutrient-cycling dynamics, hinder plant growth, disrupt rhizosphere functions, and promote the uptake and translocation of nanoscale particles by roots, raising significant concerns about potential transfer within food chains. Emerging toxicological research further indicates the potential for oxidative stress and inflammatory responses associated with nanoplastic exposure; however, quantitative assessments of exposure-relevant risks in terrestrial systems remain notably limited. This review transcends mere descriptive synthesis by systematically integrating current evidence into a source-pathway-transformation-exposure-risk framework specifically designed for terrestrial ecosystems.
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Micro- and Nanoplastic Pollution in Terrestrial Ecosystems
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Micro- and nanoplastics have spread ubiquitously across terrestrial ecosystems, persisting in soil and affecting plant health, soil organisms, and nutrient cycling. Their slow degradation and widespread distribution make them a long-term threat to ecosystem function and agricultural productivity.
Microplastics in Terrestrial Ecosystems
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This review assessed microplastic accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems — including agricultural soils, forests, and urban environments — documenting effects on soil structure, earthworm health, plant growth, and microbial diversity driven by decades of dramatic plastic production growth. Because terrestrial environments receive far more microplastic deposition than oceans yet are less studied, the soil contamination documented here directly threatens food production and represents a major underappreciated source of human dietary microplastic exposure through crops and soil-grown produce.
Introduction to Microplastics: Origin, Environmental Pathways, and Impacts on Ecosystems and Human Health
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Researchers introduced the origins, environmental transport pathways, and ecosystem impacts of microplastics, tracing how the non-biodegradable nature of plastics combined with poor waste management has driven pollution of terrestrial, aquatic, and human biological systems.
Micro and Nanoplastics in Ecosystems: Interrelated Sources, Risks, Pathways, Consequences, Mitigation, Challenges and Future Recommendations
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This review maps how micro- and nanoplastics travel between soil, water, and air, accumulate in food chains, and affect living organisms, while also examining mitigation strategies including microbial degradation and better waste management. Understanding these interconnected pathways is critical because plastics carry toxic chemical additives that amplify their health risks as they move through ecosystems.
Microplastics Effects in the Terrestrial Environment
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Microplastics released into soil systems interact with complex terrestrial matrices in ways that threaten soil health, plant uptake, and the organisms that depend on healthy soils, including humans who consume agricultural produce. Their resilience and long environmental persistence make soil microplastic contamination particularly difficult to remediate once established.
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