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Papers
1,303 resultsDo Added Microplastics, Native Soil Properties, and Prevailing Climatic Conditions Have Consequences for Carbon and Nitrogen Contents in Soil? A Global Data Synthesis of Pot and Greenhouse Studies
This meta-analysis examined how microplastics affect carbon and nitrogen levels in soil, which are key to soil fertility. The results show that certain types of plastics — especially smaller, fiber-shaped particles — can significantly alter soil chemistry, potentially affecting crop growth and soil health.
Microplastics alter the equilibrium of plant-soil-microbial system: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis pools data from multiple studies to show that microplastics disrupt the balance between plants, soil, and soil microbes. The effects vary depending on the type, size, and concentration of microplastics, suggesting that these tiny plastic particles can alter how nutrients cycle through the soil and ultimately affect the food we grow.
Effects of different microplastic types on soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and bacterial communities
A 230-day experiment tested six types of microplastics in soil and found that each type differently altered soil moisture, chemistry, enzyme activity, and microbial communities. Biodegradable plastic (PHA) caused the most significant disruption to beneficial soil bacteria, which matters for human health because soil microbe changes can affect crop nutrition and food safety.
Oxidized/unmodified-polyethylene microplastics neurotoxicity in mice: Perspective from microbiota-gut-brain axis
Mice exposed to both regular and environmentally weathered polyethylene microplastics developed brain and gut damage, including behavioral changes, weakened gut and blood-brain barriers, and inflammation -- with weathered microplastics causing even more harm. Importantly, treatment with a probiotic (Lactobacillus) and a prebiotic partially reversed these effects, suggesting that gut-friendly supplements might help protect against microplastic-related brain and intestinal damage.
Biochar-mediated remediation of low-density polyethylene microplastic-polluted soil-plant systems: Role of phosphorus and protist community responses
Researchers found that adding biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive) to soil contaminated with microplastics helped improve plant growth by restoring phosphorus cycling. The microplastics disrupted soil microbe communities, but biochar treatment shifted these communities in beneficial ways. This suggests biochar could be a practical tool for farming in soils contaminated with plastic pollution.
Fragmentation and depolymerization of microplastics in the earthworm gut: A potential for microplastic bioremediation?
Researchers explored whether earthworms can break down microplastics in soil by passing them through their digestive systems. They found that earthworms fragmented and partially broke down polyethylene and biodegradable plastic particles, reducing their size and altering their chemical structure. This suggests earthworms could play a role in naturally reducing microplastic contamination in soil, though more research is needed to understand whether the smaller fragments pose their own risks.
Unravelling the microplastic contamination: A comprehensive analysis of microplastics in indoor house dust
This study provides a detailed analysis of microplastics found in indoor house dust, where people spend most of their time. Fibers were the most common type found, originating from textiles, carpets, and clothing, with plastic sizes and types varying across different household areas. The findings highlight that everyday indoor environments are a significant source of microplastic exposure through inhalation and ingestion of dust.
Assessment of microplastic contamination in shrimps from the Bay of Bengal and associated human health risk
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in seven shrimp species from the Bay of Bengal and found plastic particles in every species tested, with most particles smaller than 100 micrometers. The study calculated that women in Bangladesh face a higher health risk than men from eating contaminated shrimp, highlighting how seafood can be a direct pathway for microplastic exposure in human diets.
New insights into the size-independent bioactive potential of pristine and UV-B aged polyethylene microplastics
Scientists tested how UV light aging changes polyethylene microplastics and their effects on human immune cells (lymphocytes) from blood samples. Both new and UV-aged microplastics reduced cell viability and triggered DNA damage, regardless of particle size. This suggests that microplastics in the environment may harm human immune cells whether they are freshly produced or have been weathered by sunlight.
Impact of aged and virgin polyethylene microplastics on multi end-points effects of freshwater fish tissues
Freshwater fish exposed to polyethylene microplastics for 15 days showed increased oxidative stress in both liver and muscle tissue, with aged, UV-weathered microplastics causing more damage than new ones. The weathering process changed the plastic surface in ways that made the particles more chemically reactive and potentially more harmful. This matters because microplastics in the environment are typically aged, meaning lab studies using only pristine particles may underestimate real-world toxicity.
Degradation efficiency of biodegradable plastics in subtropical open-air and marine environments: Implications for plastic pollution
Researchers tested several types of biodegradable plastics in real outdoor and ocean environments in Hong Kong and found that most failed to break down significantly over the study period. This means biodegradable plastics marketed as eco-friendly alternatives can still fragment into microplastics that persist in the environment and potentially enter the food chain, posing similar risks to conventional plastics.
Application of machine learning and multivariate approaches for assessing microplastic pollution and its associated risks in the urban outdoor environment of Bangladesh
This is the first study in Bangladesh to assess microplastic pollution in urban road dust, finding an average of about 53 particles per gram of dust with fibers and low-density polyethylene being the most common types. Using machine learning analysis, the researchers found moderate to high ecological risk, and estimated that children face greater health risks than adults from microplastic exposure through dust ingestion and skin contact.
Biodegradation of various grades of polyethylene microplastics by Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus larvae: Effects on their physiology
Mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor and Tenebrio obscurus) were fed different grades of polyethylene plastic to test their ability to biodegrade this common plastic. Both species could consume and partially break down all three types of polyethylene, though the process caused oxidative stress and shifted their gut bacteria. This research suggests biological degradation of plastic waste is possible, which could help reduce the environmental breakdown of plastics into harmful microplastics.
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 affect the ecological stoichiometry of plant, soil and microbes in a greenhouse vegetable system
Researchers added polyethylene microplastics to greenhouse vegetable soil at different concentrations and found significant disruption to the balance of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soil, soil microbes, and the plants themselves. Higher concentrations of microplastics altered the soil chemistry and shifted microbial communities, which could affect nutrient cycling and crop health. This matters for human health because microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil may impact the nutritional quality of the food we eat.
Microplastics Enhance the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Anaerobic Sludge Digestion by Enriching Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Surface Biofilm and Facilitating the Vertical and Horizontal Gene Transfer
This study found that microplastics in sewage sludge promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, which make bacteria harder to treat with antibiotics. Microplastics provided a surface for resistant bacteria to grow and helped them share resistance genes with other bacteria. The more microplastics present, the more antibiotic resistance spread, raising concerns about how plastic pollution in wastewater could contribute to the growing antibiotic resistance crisis.
Reproduction, growth and oxidative stress in earthworm Eisenia andrei exposed to conventional and biodegradable mulching film microplastics
Earthworms exposed to microplastics from both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PBAT mulch films showed signs of oxidative stress, though reproduction was not significantly affected. The biodegradable microplastics actually stimulated growth at lower concentrations but caused stress at higher levels, similar to conventional plastics. Since earthworms are essential for soil health, these effects could have broader consequences for agricultural ecosystems where plastic mulch films are widely used.
Contamination, morphological and chemical characterization, and hazard risk analyses of microplastics in drinking water sourced from groundwater in a developing nation
Researchers analyzed groundwater from six coastal districts in a developing nation and found widespread microplastic contamination, with fibers and fragments of polyethylene and polypropylene being the most common types. Since groundwater is the primary drinking water source in many developing countries, this contamination represents a direct pathway for microplastic ingestion by millions of people.
Distribution of microplastics in shoreline water and sediment of the Ganges River Basin to Meghna Estuary in Bangladesh
Researchers measured microplastic contamination along the Ganges River from the India-Bangladesh border to the Meghna Estuary in Bangladesh. They found microplastics at every sampling point, with higher concentrations downstream, indicating pollution accumulates as the river flows through populated areas. The overall pollution level was rated higher than other studies in Bangladesh, raising concerns for the millions of people who depend on this water.
Microplastics generated from a biodegradable plastic in freshwater and seawater
Researchers compared microplastic generation from a biodegradable plastic (PBAT) and conventional polyethylene in water and found that the biodegradable plastic actually produced far more microplastic fragments. Exposure to UV light, which simulates sunlight, dramatically accelerated the fragmentation of the biodegradable material. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are a straightforward solution to plastic pollution, since they may create more microplastics during the breakdown process.
In vitro digestion of microplastics in human digestive system: Insights into particle morphological changes and chemical leaching
Researchers simulated human digestion on four common types of microplastics and found that stomach acid and digestive enzymes changed the particles' shape, surface texture, and caused them to release chemical additives. The study shows that microplastics are not inert once swallowed -- they are actively transformed in the gut, which could increase their ability to interact with intestinal tissues and release potentially harmful chemicals.
LDPE microplastics affect soil microbial communities and nitrogen cycling
Researchers found that adding polyethylene microplastics to soil changed the bacterial communities and disrupted the nitrogen cycle, which is essential for soil fertility and plant growth. Microplastics increased the activity of certain nitrogen-processing genes while decreasing others, shifting the balance of nutrient cycling. These changes in soil function could ultimately affect crop health and the quality of food grown in microplastic-contaminated agricultural land.
Low-density polyethylene enhances the disturbance of microbiome and antibiotic resistance genes transfer in soil-earthworm system induced by pyraclostrobin
When earthworms were exposed to both polyethylene microplastics and a common fungicide (pyraclostrobin), the microplastics increased the pesticide's absorption into the earthworms' bodies and caused more severe oxidative damage than either pollutant alone. The combination also dramatically increased antibiotic resistance genes in both the soil and earthworm gut. This is concerning because it shows microplastics in farmland can amplify the spread of antibiotic resistance, a major threat to human medicine.
UV sources and plastic composition influence microplastic surface degradation: Implications for plastic weathering studies
This study tested how different UV light sources change the surface of common microplastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. The results show that sunlight and lab UV lights weather plastics differently, changing their surface roughness and chemical makeup -- which matters because these surface changes affect how microplastics transport pollutants and interact with living organisms in the environment.