Papers

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Article Tier 2

Inhibition of Peanut(Arachis hypogaea L.) Growth, Development,and Promotion of Root Nodulation IncludingPlant Nitrogen Uptake Triggered by Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics

Researchers investigated the impact of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) growth, development, root nodulation, and nitrogen uptake. They found that PVC microplastics inhibited above-ground plant growth while promoting root nodule formation, indicating that soil microplastic contamination can disrupt plant physiology and nitrogen cycling in agricultural systems.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Microplastics reduce nitrogen uptake in peanut plants by damaging root cells and impairing soil nitrogen cycling

Researchers found that microplastics reduce nitrogen uptake in peanut plants by damaging root cells and impairing soil nitrogen cycling, with polypropylene and rubber crumb particles at high concentrations inhibiting plant growth and disrupting the soil-plant nitrogen system.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 143 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyvinyl chloride and polybutylene adipate microplastics affect peanut and rhizobium symbiosis by interfering with multiple metabolic pathways

Researchers found that both PVC and biodegradable PBAT microplastics significantly disrupted the symbiotic relationship between peanut plants and nitrogen-fixing rhizobium bacteria. The microplastics reduced nodule formation by 33 to 100 percent and altered metabolic pathways involved in the symbiosis. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could impair the natural nitrogen fixation process that legume crops depend on for healthy growth.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Microplastics Inhibit Peanut Nodulation via Metabolic and Transcriptional Pathways

Scientists found that tiny plastic pieces from agricultural plastic films prevent peanut plants from forming healthy partnerships with beneficial soil bacteria that help them grow. These microplastics disrupt the plant's natural processes and block the formation of root nodules, which are essential for peanuts to get nitrogen from soil bacteria. This matters because it shows how plastic pollution in farmland could reduce crop yields and food production, potentially affecting our food supply.

2026 Plants
Article Tier 2

Deciphering the response of nodule bacteriome homeostasis in the bulk soil-rhizosphere-root-nodule ecosystem to soil microplastic pollution

Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastic contamination in soil affects the bacterial communities associated with legume plant root nodules. They found that microplastic treatments accelerated nodule formation but disrupted the balance of beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nodules. The study suggests that soil microplastic pollution may interfere with the symbiotic relationship between legume crops and their nitrogen-fixing bacterial partners.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Responses of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings growth and physiological traits triggered by polyvinyl chloride microplastics is dominated by soil available nitrogen

Researchers found that PVC microplastics in soil reduced maize seedling growth primarily by depleting available nitrogen, a nutrient essential for plant development. The microplastics altered soil bacteria, enzymes, and nutrient levels, with nitrogen availability explaining nearly 88% of the changes in plant growth. This suggests that microplastic pollution in agricultural soil could reduce crop yields by starving plants of essential nutrients.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of peanut plant and soil N-fixing bacterial communities to conventional and biodegradable microplastics

Researchers tested how conventional plastics (polyethylene and polystyrene) and a biodegradable plastic (polylactic acid) affect peanut plant growth and nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria. They found that while none of the plastics reduced plant biomass, the biodegradable PLA at high doses dramatically altered soil nitrogen levels and bacterial community composition. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may not be as harmless to agricultural soil ecosystems as commonly assumed.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics promote soil nitrification and alter the composition of key nitrogen functional bacterial groups

Researchers found that polyethylene and PVC microplastics in soil increased nitrification (a key step in the nitrogen cycle) and changed the composition of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These changes could affect soil fertility and the availability of nutrients for crops. The study highlights how microplastic contamination in agricultural soil may have hidden effects on food production by altering fundamental soil processes.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics affect the nitrogen nutrition status of soybean by altering the nitrogen cycle in the rhizosphere soil

Researchers investigated how three types of microplastics — polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride — affect soybean growth by altering nitrogen cycling in the root-zone soil. They found that polyethylene and polystyrene promoted nitrogen availability and soybean growth, while polyvinyl chloride disrupted the nitrogen cycle, reduced beneficial soil microorganisms, and inhibited plant growth. The study suggests that different types of microplastics can have opposing effects on crop nutrition through their impact on soil microbial communities.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) growth to soil contaminated with microplastics

A pot experiment adding LDPE and biodegradable (PLA/PBAT) microplastics to soil at 0.5–2.5% by weight found no significant effects on common bean shoot or root biomass, though higher LDPE concentrations increased specific root nodules, suggesting subtle effects on nitrogen-fixing symbiosis.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 341 citations
Article Tier 2

Sub-micron microplastics affect nitrogen cycling by altering microbial abundance and activities in a soil-legume system

Researchers found that very small (sub-micron) polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in soil significantly altered nitrogen cycling by changing the abundance and activity of bacteria around soybean roots. While the microplastics did not affect plant growth directly, they increased nitrogen uptake and shifted the balance of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These hidden changes to soil chemistry could have long-term effects on agricultural productivity and the nutritional quality of crops.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable and conventional mulches inhibit nitrogen fixation by peanut root nodules – potentially related to microplastics in the soil

A four-year mulching experiment with peanuts found that both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable (PLA-PBAT) plastic mulches reduced root nodule nitrogen fixation by 54–59%, with microplastics from the mulch films likely contributing to this suppression. Since biological nitrogen fixation is a key natural process that reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, this finding suggests that agricultural plastic use may have hidden costs for soil fertility and farming sustainability.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium co-contamination on the soybean-soil system: Integrated metabolic and rhizosphere microbial mechanisms

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics and cadmium interact in soybean-soil systems and found that specific microplastic concentrations enhanced cadmium accumulation in roots under moderate contamination. Higher microplastic levels reduced beneficial soil bacteria like Sphingomonas and Bradyrhizobium and suppressed nitrogen-cycling functions. The study demonstrates that microplastics fundamentally alter heavy metal behavior through interconnected plant-metabolite-microbe interactions in agricultural soils.

2026 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic bacteria on peanuts under the combined pollution of cadmium and microplastics

Researchers tested whether beneficial soil fungi and bacteria could help peanut plants cope with combined contamination from cadmium and microplastics. They found that the microbial treatment effectively trapped cadmium in the plant roots, preventing it from moving into the shoots and edible parts. The study suggests that harnessing natural soil microbes could be a practical strategy for growing safer food in polluted farmland.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar alleviated the toxic effects of microplastics‐contaminated geocarposphere soil on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) pod development: roles of pod nutrient metabolism and geocarposphere microbial modulation

Adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil significantly mitigated the harm that microplastics caused to peanut pod development, improving nutrient metabolism within the pods and modifying the soil microbial community around the developing pods. The finding suggests biochar is a practical soil amendment that could help protect crop yields and food quality in agricultural areas where plastic film mulching has left behind high microplastic loads.

2023 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential impacts of polyethylene microplastics and heavy metals on Bidens pilosa L. growth: Shifts in root-associated endophyte microbial communities

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil contaminated with heavy metals significantly stunted plant growth, reducing root length by nearly 49% and increasing harmful reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. The microplastics also shifted the soil's microbial communities toward stress-resistant species, demonstrating how plastic pollution can disrupt the soil ecosystem that supports our food supply.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Andisol: Effects on Soil Microbiology, Nitrogen Cycling, and Raphanus sativus L. Growth

Researchers assessed how polyamide, LDPE, and polypropylene microplastics affect Andisol soil properties and radish growth, finding microplastics reduced soil nitrogen cycling, disrupted microbial communities, and induced oxidative stress in plants — with effects varying by polymer type.

2025 Soil Use and Management
Article Tier 2

Particulate plastics-plant interaction in soil and its implications: A review

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics in soil interact with plants, including uptake through roots, accumulation in plant tissues, and effects on growth, nutrient absorption, and soil microbial communities. The study highlights that these plastic particles can alter soil structure and chemistry in ways that affect crop development, raising concerns about food safety and agricultural productivity.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Nanoplastic Contamination on Rhizosphere Microbiome and Plant Phenotype

This study examined how nanoplastic contamination affects the rhizosphere microbiome (soil bacteria around plant roots) and plant growth. Nanoplastic exposure altered soil microbial communities and reduced plant growth, suggesting these tiny plastic particles could disrupt the soil ecosystems that support food production.

2023
Article Tier 2

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings performance mainly affected by soil nitrate nitrogen under the stress of polyvinyl chloride microplastics

Researchers evaluated the effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on wheat seedling growth and soil properties. They found that microplastics significantly reduced shoot biomass and soil nitrate nitrogen levels, suggesting that disrupted nitrogen availability may be the primary mechanism affecting plant growth. The study indicates that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could impair crop development by altering soil nutrient dynamics.

2024 Scientific Reports 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic Impact of Soil Microplastics (PVC) on Two Weeds: Changes in Growth, Phenology and Photosynthesis Efficiency

Researchers found that PVC microplastics in soil negatively affected growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and phenological timing in two weed species, with effects varying by concentration and plant species, suggesting that soil microplastic contamination can alter plant community dynamics in agricultural and natural ecosystems.

2022 Agronomy 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic alters soybean microbiome across rhizocompartments level and symbiosis via flavonoid-mediated pathways

Researchers applied polypropylene and polyethylene nanoplastics to soybean growing conditions and found that the particles altered soil chemistry, changed bacterial communities, and unexpectedly accelerated root nodule formation and nitrogen-fixing activity at lower doses. The effects varied by plastic type, with polyethylene nanoplastics having a stronger impact on soil enzyme activity. The study reveals that nanoplastic pollution can reshape the soil microbiome and influence how plants form beneficial partnerships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

2025 Frontiers in Plant Science 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on Brassica rapa

Researchers exposed Brassica rapa plants to UV-weathered PVC microplastics and found significant growth inhibition, with stem length reduced by nearly 46% and root length by 35% after 30 days. The microplastic particles blocked leaf stomata and were observed entering the plant tissue, triggering stress responses including increased enzyme activity. The study suggests that microplastics in soil can physically and chemically interfere with normal plant development.

2023 Environmental Pollution 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic effects on soil nitrogen storage, nitrogen emissions, and ammonia volatilization in relation to soil health and crop productivity: mechanism and future consideration

This review examines how microplastics made from polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene affect nitrogen cycling and ammonia release in agricultural soils. Researchers found that these plastic particles can alter soil structure, shift microbial community composition, and disrupt the processes that store and release nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in farmland may have cascading effects on soil fertility and crop productivity.

2025 Frontiers in Plant Science 2 citations