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Papers
8 resultsShowing papers from Ministry of Agriculture
ClearBiochar contributes to resistance against root rot disease by stimulating soil polyphenol oxidase
Researchers found that adding biochar (a charcoal-like soil amendment made from burning organic matter) to continuously cropped tobacco fields boosted a soil enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which suppressed fungal root-rot pathogens — demonstrating that biochar can reduce plant disease by improving soil chemistry.
A smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical POCT method via Z-scheme CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 for simultaneously detecting co-contamination with microplastics in food and the environment
Researchers developed a smartphone-based portable testing method that can simultaneously detect two harmful chemicals commonly associated with microplastic contamination in food and the environment. The system achieved extremely sensitive detection limits and showed reliable results when tested on real food and environmental samples. This portable approach could make it easier and more affordable to monitor microplastic-related chemical contamination outside of traditional laboratory settings.
Biodegradable microplastics-induced free-living nitrogen fixation enhancement and diazotrophic community differentiation in soils
Scientists found that tiny pieces of biodegradable plastic in farm soil actually boost the activity of helpful bacteria that add nitrogen to the soil, which plants need to grow. However, these same plastic pieces also reduce other important nutrients in the soil and change which types of bacteria live there. This matters because as farmers use more biodegradable plastics, we need to understand how the tiny plastic pieces left behind might affect our food production and soil health.
Microplastics’ vector effect on Co-bioaccumulation of it and polychlorinated biphenyls in Crassostrea hongkongensis
Researchers studied whether microplastics act as vectors that increase the bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Hong Kong oysters. Contrary to expectations, they found that co-exposure to microplastics actually inhibited PCB accumulation in the oysters by about 26% compared to PCB exposure alone. The study suggests that while microplastics and PCBs both pose environmental threats, their interaction may reduce rather than amplify PCB uptake in this shellfish species.
Presence of microplastics alone and co-existence with hydrochar unexpectedly mitigate ammonia volatilization from rice paddy soil and affect structure of soil microbiome
Microplastics added to rice paddy soil unexpectedly reduced ammonia volatilization compared to unamended controls, with combined addition of microplastics and hydrochar further altering ammonia loss patterns, and microplastics changing soil bacterial community structure in ways that may affect nitrogen cycling in irrigated agricultural ecosystems.
Seasonal variability in vulnerability for Cassin's auklets (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) exposed to microplastic pollution in the Canadian Pacific region
Researchers modeled seasonal exposure of Cassin's Auklets to microplastic pollution in the Canadian Pacific by overlaying bird foraging areas with measured seawater plastic concentrations, finding that winter coastal migration shifts birds into zones with substantially higher plastic loads, a pattern confirmed by necropsy data from winter-stranded birds.
Synergistic biochar‑Bacillus consortium enhances phosphorus availability, root architecture, and inflorescence development in greenhouse cherry tomato
Despite its title referencing biochar and Bacillus soil amendments, this paper studies how combining biochar with beneficial bacteria improves phosphorus availability and crop yield in greenhouse tomato farming — not microplastic pollution. It examines changes in soil microbiology and root development and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.
Report of the Pollution 2025 - Cumulative Effects - Multiple Stressors IWC Intersessional Workshop
This report summarizes proceedings and findings from the IWC Intersessional Workshop on Pollution 2025, focusing on cumulative effects and multiple stressors on cetacean populations, including plastic pollution, chemical contaminants, and their interactions with other environmental pressures.