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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Organic Fertilizers in Horticulture
ClearMicroplastic contamination of organic fertilisers applied to agricultural soils
This study examined microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers applied to agricultural soils, finding plastic particles in multiple fertilizer types. Organic fertilizers derived from sewage sludge or compost can introduce microplastics into farmland, potentially contaminating crops and groundwater.
Organic fertilizers as a vector of microplastics: A comprehensive review of sources, dispersion, and environmental consequences
This review synthesized evidence on how organic fertilizers — including sewage sludge and composts — act as vectors for microplastic transport into agricultural soils. The authors document how MPs from degraded plastics, textiles, and personal care products enter farming systems and affect soil health, plant growth, and the broader food chain.
Do contaminants compromise the use of recycled nutrients in organic agriculture? A review and synthesis of current knowledge on contaminant concentrations, fate in the environment and risk assessment
This review examines whether recycled nutrients from waste streams, such as sewage sludge and compost, introduce harmful contaminants including microplastics into organic farmland. While levels of heavy metals and many pollutants have decreased in European waste streams, microplastic contamination in agricultural soil remains widespread and poorly understood. The review highlights that spreading waste-derived fertilizers on farmland is a significant pathway for microplastics to enter the food production system.
Organic boost or health risk? The dual impact of organic amendments in agriculture
This review examined the dual impact of organic amendments on agricultural soils, discussing how compost and sludge applications simultaneously boost fertility and introduce microplastics and chemical contaminants, requiring careful risk-benefit assessment.
From organic fertilizer to the soils: What happens to the microplastics? A critical review
This review traces how microplastics enter agricultural soil through organic fertilizers made from municipal waste, sewage sludge, and animal manure. During the composting process, the microplastics undergo physical and chemical changes that can make them better at absorbing other pollutants from the soil. The review highlights that applying organic fertilizer to farmland is a major but often overlooked pathway for microplastics to contaminate the food supply.
Organic matter and microplastics nexus: A comprehensive understanding of the synergistic impact on soil health
This review examines how microplastics and organic matter interact in soil, finding that common soil additions like compost and sewage sludge are significant sources of microplastic contamination. The interplay between these substances can disrupt nutrient cycling, soil biology, and carbon storage, which ultimately affects the quality of food grown in contaminated soil.
Potential Benefits and Risks for Soil Health Derived From the Use of Organic Amendments in Agriculture
This review examines the benefits and risks of using organic amendments like compost, manure, and sewage sludge in agriculture. Researchers highlight that while these amendments improve soil health and crop productivity, they can also introduce pollutants including heavy metals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and microplastics into agricultural soils. The study identifies sewage sludge as a particularly significant source of microplastic contamination in farmland and calls for strategies to mitigate these risks.
Organic Fertilizers and Bio-Waste for Sustainable Soil Management to Support Crops and Control Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Mediterranean Agroecosystems: A Review
This review examines how organic fertilizers and agricultural bio-waste can improve soil health, support crop growth, and help control greenhouse gas emissions in Mediterranean farming systems. While not directly about microplastics, the study is relevant because sewage-based composts and biochar used as fertilizers can introduce microplastic contamination into agricultural soils, creating a tradeoff between soil improvement and pollution.
How Valuable Are Organic Amendments as Tools for the Phytomanagement of Degraded Soils? The Knowns, Known Unknowns, and Unknowns
This review evaluates organic soil amendments — including sewage sludge, compost, and manure — as tools for restoring degraded soils, noting both benefits for soil health and risks from contaminant introduction. The discussion is relevant to microplastic research because many organic amendments are known vectors for microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Selection of Suitable Organic Amendments to Balance Agricultural Economic Benefits and Carbon Sequestration
Researchers evaluated organic soil amendments for balancing agricultural productivity with soil health, finding that amendment type and application rate affect nutrient cycling, microbial activity, and the potential for microplastic introduction via compost or sludge.
Organic fertilizer as a vehicle for the entry of microplastic into the environment
Researchers analyzed organic fertilizers produced from biowaste composting and fermentation and found microplastic particles in all samples tested. The contamination likely enters the fertilizer through improperly sorted household waste that includes plastic packaging and other synthetic materials. The study identifies organic fertilizer application as a previously overlooked pathway for introducing microplastics into agricultural soils, which could have implications for soil health and food safety.
Investigating plastic in organic fertilizers: A 2-year comparative study
A two-year field study compared how different types of organic fertilizers affected plastic content in agricultural soils, finding significant variation depending on the feedstock and processing method. The research informs best practices for minimizing plastic inputs to farmland through fertilizer choice.
Quantification and identification of microplastics in organic fertilizers: the implication for the manufacture and safe application
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in 23 commercial organic fertilizers, finding widespread presence at levels that could meaningfully contribute to agricultural soil pollution when fertilizers are applied. The results raise concerns about organic fertilizers as an underappreciated pathway for microplastics entering farm soils and the food system.
Fertilization and Soil Microbial Community: A Review
This review examines how different types of chemical and organic fertilizers affect soil microbial community composition and function. Researchers found that organic fertilizers generally promote greater microbial diversity and activity compared to chemical fertilizers alone. While focused broadly on soil health, the findings are relevant to understanding how agricultural practices may influence the microbial degradation of environmental contaminants including microplastics.
Opportunities and challenges organo-mineral fertiliser can play in enabling food security
This review examines organo-mineral fertilizers, which combine organic waste materials like manure and food scraps with reduced amounts of conventional mineral fertilizers, as a strategy for more sustainable farming. While not about microplastics specifically, the study is relevant because sewage biosolids used in organic fertilizer blends can contain microplastics that then enter agricultural soil. The review discusses policy interventions needed to balance food security with environmental protection.
Unveiling the abundance and potential impacts of microplastic contamination in commercial organic fertilizers/compost produced from different solid waste
Researchers analyzed commercial organic fertilizers made from different waste sources and found microplastics in 80% of the samples, with compost from mixed municipal waste containing the highest levels. The estimated amounts of microplastics being introduced into agricultural soils through these fertilizers exceeded previous reports. The study highlights the need for stricter regulations on organic fertilizer quality to prevent microplastic contamination of farmland.
Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in organic fertilizers in China
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers across China, finding widespread plastic particles in compost, manure, and biosolids, identifying fertilizer application as an emerging pathway for microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils.
Comprehensive understanding of microplastics in compost: Ecological risks and degradation mechanisms
This review examines how microplastics enter soil through compost made from household waste, sewage sludge, and agricultural waste. Microplastics in compost can disrupt soil structure, reduce fertility, and persist in the environment long after application. Since compost is widely used in farming, this represents a significant pathway for microplastics to contaminate agricultural soil and potentially enter the food chain.
Estimation of microplastics entering agricultural soil through the use of biofertilizers
Scientists found that organic fertilizers made from food waste contain tiny plastic particles called microplastics, which end up in farm soil when the fertilizers are applied. These microscopic plastic bits can potentially enter our food chain through crops grown in that soil. This research helps us understand another way that plastic pollution might affect the food we eat, though more studies are needed to determine the actual health risks.
Microplastic Contamination of Composts and Liquid Fertilizers from Municipal Biowaste Treatment Plants: Effects of the Operating Conditions
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in fertilizers produced from municipal organic waste and found that while solid composts generally stayed within regulatory limits, liquid fertilizers from some facilities contained up to 10,000 plastic particles per liter — raising concerns about microplastic inputs to farmland from compost and digestate applications.
Understanding the impact of microplastic contamination on soil quality and eco-toxicological risks in horticulture: A comprehensive review
This review examines how microplastic contamination in horticultural soils affects soil quality, plant health, and food safety. Microplastics alter soil structure, reduce beneficial microbial activity, and can transfer toxic chemicals to edible crops. Since horticulture provides a significant portion of the global food supply, understanding and addressing microplastic contamination in these soils is critical for protecting human health.
Waste-Derived Fertilizers: Conversion Technologies, Circular Bioeconomy Perspectives and Agronomic Value
This review examined technologies for converting organic wastes (manure, food residues, sewage sludge, combustion by-products) into fertilizers, evaluating biological, thermal, and chemical processes. The authors noted that waste-derived fertilizers can introduce microplastics and other contaminants into agricultural soils and called for better characterization of these inputs.
Bioresources in Organic Farming: Implications for Sustainable Agricultural Systems
This review examines how bioresources such as compost, biochar, and organic amendments can support sustainable organic farming practices. Researchers assessed the benefits and limitations of various biological inputs for improving soil health, nutrient cycling, and crop yields without synthetic chemicals. The study highlights the growing need for innovative organic approaches as conventional intensive agriculture continues to degrade soil quality and threaten food safety.
Extent and impact of microplastics on soil nutrients and biota: a trade-off assessment
This review examines the extent of microplastic inputs from sewage sludge applied to agricultural soils, synthesizing evidence on how sludge-derived microplastics affect soil nutrient availability, soil biota, plant performance, and crop productivity, concluding that the benefits of sludge as a soil amendment must be weighed against its role as a vector for microplastic contamination.