Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insight into interactive effect of microplastics and arsenic on growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and soil health indicators

Researchers tested how different types of microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice paddy soil, finding that biodegradable PLA microplastics actually increased arsenic uptake by rice plants by up to 39%. In contrast, conventional polyethylene microplastics slightly reduced arsenic absorption. This is an important finding because as agriculture shifts toward biodegradable plastics, they may inadvertently increase the transfer of toxic heavy metals from soil into food crops.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics change the safe production ability of arsenic-stressed rice (Oryza sativa L.) by regulating the antioxidant capacity, arsenic absorption, and distribution in rice

Researchers studied how polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics interact with arsenic contamination to affect rice growth and food safety. They found that the type of microplastic influenced how arsenic accumulated in different parts of the rice plant, with some combinations increasing arsenic levels in the edible grain. The findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination in agricultural soils altering how toxic metals are taken up by food crops.

2025 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic mediated arsenic toxicity involves differential bioavailability of arsenic and modulated uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers examined how polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice paddies. They found that at low arsenic levels, microplastics actually reduced arsenic uptake by rice plants, but at high arsenic concentrations the combination produced synergistic toxic effects. The study reveals that the interaction between microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soils is more complex than previously thought and depends heavily on contaminant concentration levels.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

From biodegradation to biohazard: Polylactic acid microplastics induced rice growth inhibition in agroecosystems

Researchers tested the effects of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a type marketed as biodegradable, on rice growth in soil. They found that PLA microplastics inhibited rice development by reducing nitrogen availability, disrupting root bacteria, and releasing potentially harmful breakdown products. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may not be as environmentally safe as assumed, particularly in agricultural settings.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the detrimental effects of polylactic acid microplastics on rice seedlings and soil health

Researchers found that even biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics significantly harmed rice plants at high concentrations, reducing root and shoot weight by roughly half and disrupting photosynthesis, while also altering soil enzyme activity and bacterial communities. These findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to agriculture and raise questions about their impact on food crops that humans depend on.

2024 Chemosphere 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable microplastics on arsenic migration and transformation in paddy soils: a comparative analysis with conventional microplastics

This study compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics affect the movement and chemical transformation of arsenic in rice paddy soils. Researchers found that both types of microplastics influenced arsenic behavior, but biodegradable plastics had distinct effects on soil chemistry, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are always safer for agricultural environments.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on arsenic uptake and distribution in rice seedlings

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect arsenic uptake in rice seedlings grown in a hydroponic system. They found that nanoplastics (82 nm) increased arsenic accumulation in rice leaves by 12 to 37 percent, while larger microplastics (200 nm) reduced it. The study suggests that the size of plastic particles plays an important role in determining how they influence heavy metal uptake in crop plants, with implications for food safety.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of different microplastics on the physicochemical properties and microbial diversity of rice rhizosphere soil

Researchers compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics, both fresh and aged, affect rice paddy soil properties and microbial communities. They found that aged microplastics had stronger effects than fresh ones, altering soil pH, nutrient availability, and the composition of root-associated bacteria. The study warns that biodegradable plastics are not necessarily safer for soil health than conventional plastics, especially as they break down over time.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Conventional and biodegradable microplastics affected arsenic mobility and methylation in paddy soils through distinct chemical-microbial pathways

A 98-day paddy soil experiment found that conventional microplastics reduced arsenic in porewater but increased methylated arsenic fractions, while biodegradable microplastics increased both porewater arsenic and methylation, suggesting distinct chemical-microbial pathways affecting arsenic mobility and toxicity.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles increase arsenic toxicity to rice seedlings

Researchers studied how polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics interact with arsenic to affect rice seedling growth. They found that microplastics alone reduced plant biomass and inhibited photosynthesis, while the combination with arsenic at higher concentrations amplified the toxic effects on root activity and cell membranes. The study reveals that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings may worsen the impact of other pollutants on food crops.

2019 Environmental Pollution 444 citations
Article Tier 2

Polylactic acid microplastics have stronger positive effects on the qualitative traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) than polyethylene microplastics: Evidence from a simulated field experiment

Researchers found that both polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics in soil affected the quality of rice grains by changing their mineral content, fatty acid profiles, and amino acid levels. Interestingly, PLA microplastics had some positive effects on grain yield and weight, while PE microplastics more significantly disrupted the nutritional composition. This study shows that microplastic contamination in farm soil can alter the nutritional quality of rice, a staple food for billions of people, even when the plants appear to grow well.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics and arsenic on nutrients and microorganisms in rice rhizosphere soil

Researchers investigated how polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice rhizosphere soil. The study found that microplastics reduced arsenic bioavailability and altered microbial communities, while both pollutants together inhibited key soil enzyme activities and reduced available nitrogen and phosphorus, suggesting combined microplastic-arsenic pollution can impair nutrient cycling and crop growth.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 406 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Nanoplastics Intensify Arsenic Toxicity in Lettuce by Altering Arsenic Accumulation and Stress Pathways

Researchers grew lettuce in arsenic-contaminated farmland soil amended with polyethylene nanoplastics and found that nanoplastic exposure increased arsenic accumulation in edible leaves by 35–39%, reduced plant biomass by up to 30%, and disrupted antioxidant metabolism, highlighting compounded food safety risks in contaminated agricultural soils.

2026 Toxics
Article Tier 2

The role of microplastics in altering arsenic fractionation and microbial community structures in arsenic-contaminated riverine sediments

The addition of microplastics to arsenic-contaminated riverine sediments altered arsenic fractionation and shifted microbial community structures, with biodegradable plastics producing different effects compared to conventional polymers. The study demonstrates that microplastics can modify the environmental behavior of co-existing toxic metals in sediment ecosystems.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics on photosynthesis, antioxidant defense systems, and arsenic accumulation in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings grown in arsenic-contaminated soils

This study tested how polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics affect maize seedlings grown in arsenic-contaminated soil. Both types of microplastics changed how much arsenic the plants absorbed, with biodegradable microplastics increasing arsenic uptake in roots and shoots. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in farmland could alter how crops absorb toxic substances, potentially affecting food safety.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 133 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polylactic acid microplastics on soil properties, soil microbials and plant growth

Researchers tested whether microplastics from biodegradable polylactic acid plastic, often proposed as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic, affect soil health and plant growth. High concentrations of these biodegradable microplastics reduced soil pH, altered the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, decreased plant growth, and shifted soil microbial communities. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can negatively affect agricultural ecosystems when they break down into microplastic-sized particles.

2023 Chemosphere 145 citations
Article Tier 2

Photo-aged non-biodegradable and biodegradable mulching film microplastics alter the interfacial behaviors between agricultural soil and inorganic arsenic

Researchers found that both biodegradable PLA and non-biodegradable polyethylene mulching film microplastics alter arsenic transport in agricultural soil, with photo-aging changing their adsorption capacity and potentially affecting arsenic mobility and ecological risk.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on cadmium accumulation by rice and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in cadmium-contaminated soil

Researchers studied how three types of microplastics interact with cadmium contamination in rice paddies, examining effects on plant growth, metal uptake, and soil fungal communities. They found that while microplastics generally increased cadmium availability in soil, they actually decreased cadmium accumulation in rice tissues. Notably, biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics caused more harm to plant growth and soil communities than conventional plastic types, challenging the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 171 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of biofilms on polylactic acid microplastics and their inhibitory effects on the growth of rice seedlings: A comparative study of petroleum-based microplastics

Researchers compared the effects of bio-based polylactic acid microplastics to conventional petroleum-based microplastics on rice seedling growth. They found that the bio-based particles actually caused more harm, attracting microorganisms that competed with the seedlings for nutrients and disrupting chlorophyll production. The study suggests that switching to bio-based plastics may not eliminate the agricultural risks posed by microplastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Divergent impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on pesticide fate and toxicity in a soil–chive system, underscoring a soil-plant-microbe disruption

Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, despite being marketed as eco-friendly, significantly delayed pesticide degradation in soil and increased plant uptake of a toxic pesticide metabolite by up to 59%. PLA disrupted beneficial soil bacteria and interfered with plant detoxification pathways, while conventional polyethylene microplastics had comparatively milder effects. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may pose unexpected risks when they interact with pesticides in agricultural soils.

2026 Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology