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Microbial and Enzymatic Drivers of Microplastic Biodegradation in Agricultural Soils: A Systematic Review
Summary
This systematic review will synthesize evidence on microbial and enzymatic drivers of microplastic biodegradation in agricultural soils, using the PEO framework and PRISMA 2020 guidelines to evaluate how soil microorganisms transform persistent plastic polymers. Identifying effective biological degradation pathways in agricultural soil is critical for developing nature-based strategies to reduce the growing microplastic burden in food-producing environments.
Microplastics have emerged as a pervasive contaminant in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in agricultural soils where plastic mulching, wastewater irrigation, biosolid amendments, and atmospheric deposition contribute to their accumulation. While the ecological risks of microplastics have been widely documented, increasing attention has turned toward biological processes capable of transforming or degrading these persistent particles. Soil microorganisms and their extracellular enzymes represent a potentially significant mechanism for the biodegradation of microplastics; however, evidence across studies remains fragmented. The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize existing empirical evidence regarding microbial and enzymatic drivers of microplastic biodegradation in agricultural soils using the Population–Exposure–Outcome (PEO) framework. The population of interest comprises agricultural soil environments and their resident microbial communities; the exposure involves the presence of microplastic polymers; and the outcome focuses on evidence of biodegradation processes such as polymer breakdown, mass loss, enzymatic activity, and microbial metabolic transformation. The review will follow PRISMA 2020 guidelines and employ a comprehensive search of multidisciplinary and subject-specific databases including Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed/MEDLINE, and CAB Abstracts. Eligible studies will be screened through dual independent review, followed by standardized data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment using appropriate methodological appraisal tools. Evidence will be synthesized using structured narrative synthesis and, where feasible, quantitative meta-analysis. This review is expected to provide the first consolidated assessment of microbial taxa, enzymatic pathways, and environmental conditions influencing microplastic biodegradation in agricultural soils. By integrating findings across microbiology, soil science, and environmental biotechnology literature, the review will clarify current knowledge gaps and inform future research directions for sustainable microplastic mitigation strategies.