We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Agricultural Microplastics Pollution: From Hidden Threats to Global Food Security Towards Sustainable Strategies
Summary
This comprehensive review examines agricultural microplastic pollution across the atmosphere, soil, water, and biological systems, proposing a framework linking farming-derived MP contamination to food security risks and calling for integrated approaches to manage MNPs in agricultural systems.
Summary statement As one of the world's most prominent emerging pollutants, micro‐ and nanoplastics (MNPs) are ubiquitously distributed across the atmosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. MNPs could be widely detected in the terrestrial ecosystem and human body. Here, we propose a comprehensive research framework to guide investigation into agricultural microplastics pollution, discuss current challenges in the field, and offer future research directions to better understand and mitigate the impact of MNPs on ecological and food systems.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
The measurement of food safety and security risks associated with micro- and nanoplastic pollution
Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastic pollution enters the human food chain through agricultural systems, raising concerns for food safety and security. They identified major gaps in our ability to assess the risks of plastic contamination in food and feed sources. The study calls for interdisciplinary approaches and better analytical methods to understand and address this growing challenge.
Plastic Pollution in Agriculture as a Threat to Food Security, the Ecosystem, and the Environment: An Overview
This review examines how plastic products used in agriculture -- from mulch films to greenhouse covers -- contribute to microplastic pollution in soil, water, and crops. While plastics help boost crop production and food quality, their breakdown releases microplastics that can be taken up by plants and enter the food chain. The paper discusses strategies to reduce plastic pollution in farming, which is important because agricultural microplastics represent a direct pathway to human dietary exposure.
Far‐Reaching Impact of Microplastics on Agricultural Systems: Options for Mitigation and Adaptation
This systematic review examines how microplastics affect agricultural systems, from soil health and crop growth to farm animals and the food consumers eat. The research highlights that microplastic contamination in farming is widespread and may pose risks throughout the food supply chain, making it a concern for anyone who eats conventionally grown food.
Exposure pathways, environmental processes and risks of micro (nano) plastics to crops and feasible control strategies in agricultural regions
Researchers review how micro- and nanoplastics enter agricultural soils and the atmosphere, move through the rhizosphere and phyllosphere, and are taken up by crops, synthesizing the key biotic and abiotic factors that govern their bioavailability and identifying research gaps needed to develop effective pollution control strategies.
Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: An Emerging Threat to Soil Health, Microbial Ecology, Crop Productivity, and Food Safety
This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that these particles can disrupt soil microbial communities, harm plant health, and potentially enter the human food chain. The study highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to address this growing but often overlooked form of pollution in farmland.