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Papers
238 resultsShowing papers from Freie Universität Berlin
ClearA global estimate of multiecosystem photosynthesis losses under microplastic pollution
This meta-analysis pooled data from over 3,200 measurements and found that microplastic pollution reduces photosynthesis by 7–12% in plants and algae worldwide. This matters because less photosynthesis means lower crop yields and disrupted ecosystems, which can ultimately affect food security and human nutrition.
Micro/nanoplastics pollution poses a potential threat to soil health
This large meta-analysis of over 5,000 observations found that micro- and nanoplastics in soil harm crop growth, soil organisms, and microbial communities while increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The findings suggest that plastic pollution poses a broad threat to soil health, which could ultimately affect food production and human well-being.
Global Responses of Soil Carbon Dynamics to Microplastic Exposure: A Data Synthesis of Laboratory Studies
This meta-analysis combined data from 110 studies to understand how microplastics change the way carbon moves through soil. The findings suggest that plastic pollution can disrupt natural soil processes, which may affect soil health and the planet's ability to store carbon.
Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain
Researchers found microplastic particles in the olfactory bulb, the part of the human brain responsible for the sense of smell. This suggests that microplastics may reach the brain through the nasal passage, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. The finding highlights a potential direct route for microplastics to enter the brain, raising concerns about neurotoxicity.
Microplastic diversity increases the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in soil
When different types of microplastics accumulate together in soil, they increase the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria. The more diverse the mix of microplastic shapes, colors, and types, the greater the increase in these resistance genes. This is concerning for human health because antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil can potentially transfer to people through food and water.
Microplastic pollution promotes soil respiration: A global‐scale meta‐analysis
This global meta-analysis pooled data from multiple studies and found that microplastic pollution in soil increased CO2 emissions by 25%. Microplastics boost certain soil microbes while reducing overall microbial diversity, changing how carbon cycles through the environment. While focused on soil health, this research shows how widespread microplastic pollution is reshaping ecosystems in ways that could ultimately affect climate and agriculture.
Increasing pesticide diversity impairs soil microbial functions
This study found that increasing the variety of pesticides used on farmland disrupts soil bacteria and accelerates the loss of important nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. While not directly about microplastics, the research shows how chemical pollutants in soil can destabilize microbial communities in ways similar to microplastic contamination. Adding nitrogen fertilizer helped counteract some of these negative effects.
Environmental factors influence airborne microplastic deposition in the soil of urban allotment gardens
Researchers measured microplastic contamination at three depths in urban garden soils in Berlin, Germany, finding that fibers were the most common type and concentrations were highest at the surface. Precipitation and fine particulate matter in the air increased microplastic deposition, raising concerns for urban food gardens since these plastics could potentially transfer from contaminated soil into home-grown produce.
Plastic particles and their additives promote plant invasion through physicochemical mechanisms on seed germination
Scientists found that microplastic particles in soil harmed the germination of native European grassland plants, reducing sprouting speed and total germination by up to 30%. Invasive plant species, however, were mostly unaffected by the same microplastic exposure. This suggests that plastic pollution in soil could shift the balance between native and invasive plants, potentially threatening biodiversity.
Global Meta-Analysis Integrated with Machine Learning Assesses Context-Dependent Microplastic Effects on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen
This global meta-analysis pooled data from 90 studies to examine how microplastics affect soil microbes. In lab settings, microplastics increased microbial biomass by about 10%, with biodegradable plastics having the strongest effects. Temperature was the most important factor influencing these changes. The results suggest microplastics are altering soil ecosystems in ways that could affect agriculture and carbon cycling.
A Double‐Edged Sword of Biodegradable Microplastics on the Soil Microbial Carbon Pump
Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics in soil had a double-edged effect: they increased carbon dioxide emissions (contributing to greenhouse gases) but also boosted the efficiency of soil microbes at storing carbon in stable forms. This suggests microplastic pollution in farmland has complex environmental consequences that go beyond simple contamination, potentially affecting both climate change and long-term soil health.
Towards a risk assessment framework for micro- and nanoplastic particles for human health
This review proposes a framework for assessing the health risks of micro- and nanoplastics to humans, noting that current methods are inadequate because these particles come in countless types, sizes, and chemical compositions. The authors recommend focusing first on inhalation risks and suggest using existing approaches for evaluating low-toxicity particles and fibers as a starting point for plastic particle safety standards.
Soil contamination in nearby natural areas mirrors that in urban greenspaces worldwide
A global study found that soil contamination in natural areas is just as bad as in nearby urban green spaces, with similar levels of heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics, and antibiotic resistance genes. Human activity was the main driver of contamination regardless of whether the area was urban or natural. The findings show that microplastic pollution and other contaminants have spread far beyond cities, potentially affecting soil health and the food grown in these areas.
Microplastics Increase Soil pH and Decrease Microbial Activities as a Function of Microplastic Shape, Polymer Type, and Exposure Time
Researchers tested twelve different types of microplastics in soil and found that their effects on soil health depended heavily on the shape, plastic type, and how long they were present. Foam and fragment shapes raised soil pH the most, while polyethylene foam increased soil respiration, and several types reduced the activity of important soil enzymes. These findings help explain why microplastic studies often show conflicting results, since the specific characteristics of the plastic matter as much as its presence.
Increasing the number of stressors reduces soil ecosystem services worldwide
A global field study found that when soils face multiple environmental stressors at high levels, biodiversity and ecosystem services decline significantly. The more stressors present above critical thresholds, the worse the damage to soil health and function. While not focused specifically on microplastics, the research is relevant because microplastics are one of many co-occurring soil stressors that together may cause greater harm than any single pollutant alone.
The promoting effects of soil microplastics on alien plant invasion depend on microplastic shape and concentration
A greenhouse experiment showed that soil microplastic pollution can help invasive plant species outcompete native plants. The invasive goldenrod grew better in soil contaminated with certain shapes and concentrations of polyethylene microplastics, while the native species was less affected. This suggests that microplastic pollution in soil could worsen the spread of invasive plants, with knock-on effects for ecosystems and agriculture.
Microplastics alter soil structure and microbial community composition
Researchers found that both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics break down soil structure in similar ways, increasing the proportion of smaller soil clumps while reducing larger, more stable ones. The microplastics also significantly altered soil bacterial communities, with effects varying by particle size. This matters because changes to soil health can affect the food we grow and the broader ecosystem services that soil provides.
The effect of microplastics on <i>Daphnia</i> fitness – Systematic review and meta‐analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis examines how micro- and nanoplastics affect the health and reproduction of Daphnia, a key freshwater organism used in toxicity testing. The findings confirm that plastic particles can harm these organisms, which is significant because Daphnia are a foundational species in freshwater ecosystems connected to human water supplies.
Micro/nanoplastics: Critical review of their impacts on plants, interactions with other contaminants (antibiotics, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and management strategies
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics harm plants, both alone and in combination with other pollutants like antibiotics, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons. The combined exposure often worsens the damage, including inhibited growth, reduced seed germination, and genetic toxicity. The review also explores strategies to reduce this plant damage, which matters for food safety since contaminated crops are a route for microplastics to reach humans.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi attenuate negative impact of drought on soil functions
A meta-analysis combined with greenhouse experiments demonstrated that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote soil aggregation, microbial biomass, and nutrient-cycling enzyme activity, effectively buffering soil functions against drought. This protective effect is relevant to microplastic concerns because soil health is increasingly threatened by plastic pollution, and understanding natural soil defense mechanisms is important for protecting agricultural ecosystems.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induced retinal toxicity: Size-, dose-, and developmental stage-dependent effects on human neural retina organoids
Using lab-grown human retina organoids (miniature models of the developing eye), researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics can damage retinal cells in ways that depend on particle size, dose, and developmental stage. Smaller particles (100 nm) caused more severe harm than larger ones, reducing cell growth and disrupting the genes needed for normal eye development. When combined with cadmium, a heavy metal commonly found on microplastics, the damage was even worse, raising concerns about eye health effects from nanoplastic exposure.
Soil microbial responses to multiple global change factors as assessed by metagenomics
Researchers applied ten different environmental stressors, including microplastics, to soil samples and found that combinations of multiple stressors produced microbial communities completely different from any single stressor alone. The combined treatments promoted potentially harmful mycobacteria and bacteria carrying high levels of antibiotic resistance genes. This matters for human health because changes in soil microbes can affect food safety, antibiotic effectiveness, and the spread of pathogens.
The “Microplastome” – A Holistic Perspective to Capture the Real-World Ecology of Microplastics
This paper introduces the concept of the "microplastome," a framework for studying microplastics along with everything attached to them, including absorbed chemicals and colonizing microbes, as a unified system. The authors argue that current research too often looks at microplastics in isolation, when in reality the attached pollutants and bacteria may be just as important for understanding health effects. This more complete approach could lead to better risk assessments of how microplastic pollution actually affects ecosystems and human health.
Microplastic in terrestrial ecosystems
This study highlights a shift in microplastic research from focusing on toxic effects in individual organisms to understanding broader ecosystem-level impacts on land. Researchers emphasize that microplastics in soil environments can affect nutrient cycling, soil structure, and biological communities in ways that may feed back into larger Earth system processes. The study calls for expanding terrestrial microplastic research beyond laboratory toxicity tests to real-world ecological investigations.