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Microplastics in Agricultural Soil: Fate, Impacts, and Bioremediation by Earthworms
Summary
This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils and the role earthworms may play in breaking them down. Researchers found that microplastics can harm soil health by disrupting microbial communities, enzyme activity, and nutrient availability, but that earthworms can enhance microplastic degradation through their digestive processes and the microorganisms in their gut. The study suggests that earthworm-based bioremediation could be a practical strategy for reducing microplastic contamination in farmland.
ABSTRACT In recent years, microplastics (MPs) have become a major environmental pollutant, posing threats to both human health and ecological sustainability. These small plastic particles have been found to have negative impacts on soil physicochemical properties, soil microorganisms, soil enzymes, and nutrient availability, ultimately hindering plant growth. Recent research highlights the crucial role of soil fauna, particularly earthworms (EWs), in facilitating the degradation of MPs. EWs enhance MPs biodegradation by extracellular enzymes released by microbes. Furthermore, the mucus secreted by EWs significantly enhances decomposition during vermicomposting, thereby promoting microbial activity and diversity. This review presents a comprehensive compilation of scientific data to provide: (1) an extensive overview of the fate of MPs in soil environments, including their effects on soil structure, microbial communities, enzymatic activity, and plant‐nutrient interactions; and (2) examining the role of EWs in MPs degradation and remediation. It also explores how MPs affect EWs growth and metabolism. EWs offer a promising pathway for environmental remediation, and their use in plastic‐contaminated soil or waste can effectively mitigate MPs pollution. The findings presented in this review offer a novel perspective on addressing MPs contamination through the implementation of EWs as a sustainable bioremediation strategy.
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