Papers

61,005 results
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Meta Analysis Tier 1

Microplastics stimulated nitrous oxide emissions primarily through denitrification: A meta-analysis

Meta-analysis of 60 studies found that microplastic exposure increased soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 140.6%, primarily by stimulating denitrification rates (up 17.8%) and denitrifier gene abundance (up 10.6%), while nitrification remained unaffected. This resulted in a 38.8% increase in soil nitrite and a 22.4% decrease in nitrate.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 108 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effect of microplastics on soil greenhouse gas emissions: A global meta-analysis study

This global meta-analysis found that microplastic exposure in soil decreased nitrous oxide emissions by 28.5% and increased methane emissions by 28.6%, though neither change was statistically significant overall. Effects varied dramatically depending on microplastic shape, concentration, soil type, and pH, with fiber-shaped microplastics reducing CO2 emissions by 40% while microplastics in sandy soils increased CO2 by 21%.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on N2O production and reduction potential in crop soils of northern China

This study examined how polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics at concentrations of 0.5 to 3% affect nitrous oxide production and reduction potential in crop soils from northern China. Results showed that microplastic contamination altered N2O fluxes in vegetable soils by disrupting denitrification pathways, with implications for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

2024 Chemosphere 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable microplastics induce more soil nitrous oxide emission than conventional in semi-arid Loess Plateau

Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable (PLA) and conventional (PE) microplastics on soil nitrous oxide emissions in semi-arid conditions. The study found that biodegradable PLA microplastics triggered 2.3 to 2.8 times more nitrous oxide emissions than polyethylene counterparts, primarily by depleting soil oxygen more severely and stimulating denitrification processes.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Field response of N2O emissions, microbial communities, soil biochemical processes and winter barley growth to the addition of conventional and biodegradable microplastics

Researchers conducted a field study comparing the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA microplastics on soil greenhouse gas emissions, microbial communities, and winter barley growth. They found that both types of microplastics altered soil nitrogen cycling and microbial community composition, though biodegradable plastics showed distinct degradation patterns. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable agricultural plastics does not necessarily eliminate the environmental impacts of microplastic contamination in farmland soils.

2022 Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics affect greenhouse gas emissions through chemical diversity and microbial biodiversity

Researchers investigated how biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and non-biodegradable polystyrene (PS) microplastics affect greenhouse gas emissions in soil, finding that both types elevated CO2 and N2O emissions while shifting microbial community composition at both phylum and genus levels. Structural equation modeling revealed that GHG emissions were more strongly correlated with chemical diversity driven by the microplastics than with microbial diversity, with PLA increasing soil organic carbon content.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable microplastics and straw addition on soil greenhouse gas emissions

Researchers tested how biodegradable microplastics made from polylactic acid (PLA) affect greenhouse gas emissions from soil, both with and without added crop straw. They found that high concentrations of PLA microplastics significantly increased carbon dioxide emissions while decreasing nitrous oxide emissions, suggesting that even biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastic mulch films can meaningfully alter soil chemistry and gas cycles.

2024 Environmental Pollution 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct influence of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on microbe-driving nitrogen cycling processes in soils and plastispheres as evaluated by metagenomic analysis

Researchers compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics affect nitrogen cycling by soil microbes. They found that biodegradable microplastics caused stronger changes to microbial communities and nitrogen processing pathways than conventional plastics, particularly by enriching certain bacteria on their surfaces. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastic mulch alternatives may significantly alter soil nutrient cycling in agricultural settings.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 156 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar-microplastics interaction modulates soil nitrous oxide emissions and microbial communities

Researchers examined how biochar interacts with conventional and biodegradable microplastics in soil to affect coriander growth, nitrous oxide emissions, and microbial communities. They found that biochar generally reduced soil nitrous oxide emissions, but this benefit was diminished or even reversed when certain microplastics were present. The study suggests that the combined use of biochar and plastic mulch in agricultural fields can produce unexpected effects on greenhouse gas emissions and soil microbiology.

2025 Biochar 6 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effect of microplastics on carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycle in farmland soil: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis of 102 studies found that microplastics in farmland soil increased soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and microbial biomass nitrogen, but also elevated CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions through enhanced carbon mineralization and denitrification. Microplastic biodegradability, size, concentration, and soil properties all drove these effects, suggesting agricultural microplastic pollution may worsen greenhouse gas emissions from farmland.

2025 Environmental Pollution 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Dose effect of polyethylene microplastics on nitrous oxide emissions from paddy soils cultivated for different periods

Researchers found that high doses of polyethylene microplastics (0.5% or more) significantly increased nitrous oxide emissions from paddy soils by promoting nitrifier and denitrifier activity, while low doses had negligible effects.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 46 citations
Article Tier 2

[Advances in the Effects of Microplastics on Soil N2O Emissions and Nitrogen Transformation].

This review synthesizes current research on how microplastics affect soil nitrogen cycling, including N2O emissions, nitrogen transformation processes, functional enzyme activity, and nitrogen-related genes, highlighting inconsistent findings due to variability in microplastic properties, experimental conditions, and spatial-temporal scales.

2024 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics alter the microbial functional gene abundances and increase nitrous oxide emissions from paddy soils

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in paddy soils significantly increased nitrous oxide emissions by altering microbial community structure and functional gene abundances related to nitrogen cycling.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 189 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effects of microplastics exposure on soil inorganic nitrogen: A comprehensive synthesis

Meta-analysis of 216 observations from 47 studies showed microplastics exposure significantly reduced soil nitrate concentration by 7.89% overall, but had no significant effect on ammonium. Microplastic polymer type was the strongest predictor of nitrate effects, and exposure above 27C actually enhanced soil nitrate, highlighting a concerning interaction with global warming.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic fibers affect dynamics and intensity of CO2 and N2O fluxes from soil differently

Researchers added plastic microfibers to agricultural soil and found that while the fibers increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by improving soil aeration, they simultaneously decreased nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by suppressing the denitrification process. These opposing effects on two major greenhouse gases mean microplastic soil contamination has complex and competing consequences for climate change.

2021 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 131 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Differential impacts of microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in plant-soil systems: A meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of 3,338 observations found that microplastics increased soil CO2 emissions by 25.7% but also boosted soil carbon storage through increases in total carbon (53.3%), soil organic carbon (25.4%), and microbial biomass carbon (19.6%). However, microplastics decreased plant aboveground biomass and reduced nitrate and ammonia volatilization, suggesting that while soil carbon sink capacity may increase, agricultural productivity could suffer.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Microplastics Increase N2O Emission from Denitrifying Sludge More Than Conventional Microplastics

Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics affect nitrous oxide emissions during wastewater denitrification. They found that biodegradable microplastics actually increased nitrous oxide production more than conventional plastics by serving as an additional carbon source that disrupted the normal denitrification process. The study challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always environmentally preferable, at least in wastewater treatment settings.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into N2O turnovers under polyethylene terephthalate microplastics stress in mainstream biological nitrogen removal process

Long-term exposure of biological nitrogen removal (BNR) wastewater systems to polyethylene terephthalate microplastics at concentrations up to 500 micrograms per liter altered nitrous oxide (N2O) production and reduction during denitrification over 100-plus days of treatment. The findings suggest MPs in municipal wastewater could inadvertently increase greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants.

2022 Water Research 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Drought limits microplastic effects on soil greenhouse gas emissions by reducing microbial diversity

Researchers examined how microplastics and drought stress interact to affect greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils. They found that biodegradable microplastics increased nitrous oxide production compared to conventional polyethylene, but drought conditions consistently suppressed overall greenhouse gas output by reducing microbial diversity. The study highlights the complex interplay between plastic pollution and climate stress in shaping soil emissions and nutrient cycling.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on greenhouse gas emissions and the microbial community in fertilized soil

Two particle sizes of microplastics were added to fertilized soil and their effects on dissolved organic carbon, greenhouse gas fluxes, and microbial communities were measured, finding reduced global warming potential due to decreased methane emissions but changes in bacterial and fungal community composition. The study reveals complex interactions between microplastics and soil carbon cycling processes.

2019 Environmental Pollution 529 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics alter nitrous oxide production and pathways through affecting microbiome in estuarine sediments

Researchers found that both petroleum-based and biodegradable microplastics increased nitrous oxide production in estuarine sediments, with biodegradable polylactic acid plastics showing greater effects by altering microbial nitrogen cycling pathways.

2022 Water Research 150 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Impacts on Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Terrestrial Ecosystems

A 90-day laboratory experiment tested how high-density and low-density polyethylene microplastics at 0-0.1% (w/w) soil concentrations affect greenhouse gas emissions from terrestrial soils. The study found that microplastic type and concentration influenced CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions differently, with implications for microplastic contributions to climate change.

2024 Open Journal of Soil Science 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar and Microplastics Affect Microbial Necromass Accumulation and CO2 and N2O Emissions from Soil

Researchers investigated how biochar and polyethylene microplastics interact in soil and found that both reduced CO2 and N2O greenhouse gas emissions, though through different mechanisms. Microplastics decreased emissions primarily by reducing dissolved organic matter and bacterial biomass, while biochar suppressed nitrogen-cycling genes. When combined, microplastics in biochar-treated soil unexpectedly increased microbial necromass carbon by disrupting soil aggregates, revealing complex interactions between these two soil amendments.

2023 ACS ES&T Engineering 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Conventional and biodegradable agricultural microplastics: effects on soil properties and microbial functions across a European pedoclimatic gradient

Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PBAT-starch mulching film microplastics on soil properties, microbial diversity, litter decomposition, and greenhouse gas emissions across soils from multiple European climates, finding type- and concentration-dependent effects on soil ecosystem function.

2025 Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin)