Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Polyethylene nanoplastics affected morphological, physiological, and molecular indices in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Polyethylene nanoplastics in soil caused significant damage to tomato plants, including reduced growth, delayed flowering, lower fruit quality, and changes in DNA methylation patterns. Even at low concentrations, the nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress and altered gene expression in the plants. These findings raise concerns about food safety because nanoplastic contamination in farm soil could reduce both the yield and nutritional quality of tomatoes and potentially other food crops.

2025 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on tomato plant growth, fruit yield and quality

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect tomato plant growth and fruit quality, finding that exposure reduced seedling biomass, impaired photosynthesis, and triggered oxidative stress. At higher concentrations, the nanoplastics inhibited mineral uptake and diminished fruit yield along with nutritional quality markers like vitamin C and lycopene. The study highlights that nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could pose a meaningful threat to food crop productivity and nutritional value.

2026 Food Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Phytotoxicity of polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics on tomato plant growth using hydroponic experiments at various concentrations. The study found that all three types of microplastics negatively affected seed germination, root growth, and plant development, with effects varying by plastic type and concentration. These findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings could interfere with crop growth and food production.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 195 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effects of microplastics polluted soil on the growth of Solanum lycopersicum L.

This study tested how microplastic-contaminated soil affects tomato plant growth, finding that higher concentrations of plastic particles in soil reduced plant height, root development, and overall crop health. The results suggest that microplastic pollution in farmland could reduce food crop yields and potentially affect the quality of the produce we eat.

2024 ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 8 citations
Article Tier 2

MICROPLÁSTICOS Y NANOPLÁSTICOS: UNA REVISIÓN SISTEMÁTICA DE SU IMPACTO EN EL CRECIMIENTO DE TOMATE (Solanum lycopersicum)

This systematic review analysed published studies on the effects of synthetic microplastics and nanoplastics on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growth, examining how polymer type, particle size, concentration, and growth medium modulate phytotoxicity. The review found that MP and NP exposure consistently impaired biomass accumulation, plant height, flower and fruit production, and root and shoot length, with higher concentrations and smaller particle sizes generally producing the most pronounced negative effects.

2025 Revista Ciencia e Innovación Agroalimentaria de la Universidad de Guanajuato
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Tomato Crops: A Critical Review

This review covers the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on tomato crops, documenting disruption at germination, root development, flowering, and fruit production stages. It also examines how these particles alter soil microbial communities and identifies priority research areas for understanding MP effects on major food crops.

2025 Environments
Article Tier 2

Nano- and Microplastics Increase the Occurrence of Bacterial Wilt in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

This study found that tiny nano- and microplastic particles in soil made tomato plants significantly more vulnerable to bacterial wilt disease. The smallest nanoplastics (30 nm) more than doubled the disease rate by disrupting the plant's immune defenses and altering soil bacteria, raising concerns about how plastic pollution in farmland could threaten food crop health.

2024 ACS Nano 29 citations
Article Tier 2

A Combined Effect of Mixed Multi-Microplastic Types on Growth and Yield of Tomato

A greenhouse experiment found that a 1% w/w mixture of polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics negatively affected tomato plant development and yield, with statistical analysis confirming significant growth reductions compared to uncontaminated soil.

2024 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Can microplastics threaten plant productivity and fruit quality? Insights from Micro-Tom and Micro-PET/PVC

Researchers grew tomato plants in soil containing environmentally realistic levels of PET and PVC microplastics and found mixed effects on plant productivity and fruit quality. While some growth parameters were affected, the microplastics also altered the mineral content of the tomatoes. This study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil could change the nutritional profile of the food we eat.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent advances on microplastics/nanoplastics interaction with plant species: A concise review

This review synthesizes research on how microplastics and nanoplastics interact with plants, finding that plastic particles in soil can interfere with root uptake, germination, and crop yields depending on the type and concentration of plastic present. The findings are particularly relevant to human health because food crops grown in microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils may absorb or accumulate plastic particles, creating a direct dietary exposure route.

2023 Malaysian Journal of Chemical Engineering and Technology
Article Tier 2

Micro (nano) plastic pollution: The ecological influence on soil-plant system and human health.

This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics affect soil health, plant growth, and food quality, finding that these particles accumulate in plant root systems and can reduce crop yields and alter nutritional content. Since contaminated soil and water are increasingly delivering microplastics to food crops, these findings are directly relevant to agricultural food safety.

2021 The Science of the total environment
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the impact of nano-microscale polyethylene and polypropylene plastics on Nicotiana tabacum: Physiological responses and molecular mechanisms

Researchers exposed tobacco plants to polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics of different sizes and found that both types suppressed plant growth in a dose-dependent manner, with polypropylene being more toxic. The microplastics disrupted photosynthesis, triggered oxidative stress, and altered hormone signaling and defense pathways in the plants. These findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination in soil can impair crop growth at the molecular level, potentially affecting agricultural productivity.

2025 Environmental and Experimental Botany 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insights into the size-dependent bioaccumulation and phytotoxicity of polyethylene microplastics in tomato seedlings

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics of different sizes affect tomato seedlings and found that the smallest particles (1-50 micrometers) caused the most severe damage, reducing shoot weight by 42.3% and root length by 55.1%. The study revealed that microplastic uptake and toxicity are strongly size-dependent, with smaller particles more easily absorbed and translocated through plant tissues, triggering significant oxidative stress.

2026 Frontiers in Plant Science
Article Tier 2

Impact of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastic on growth, photosynthesis and nutrient uptake of Solanum lycopersicum L. (Tomato)

Adding PVC microplastics to soil reduced tomato plant growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake in a dose-dependent manner, even though no visible damage appeared on the leaves. At the molecular level, the microplastics disrupted genes and proteins involved in photosynthesis and nutrient absorption. This matters for food safety because microplastics in agricultural soils could reduce crop yields and potentially enter the food supply.

2024 Environmental Pollution 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic/nanoplastic toxicity in plants: an imminent concern

This review examines the growing body of research on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect terrestrial plants, from root uptake to changes in growth and gene expression. Researchers found that these particles can alter plant physiology and biochemistry at varying degrees depending on particle size and concentration. The study calls for more research on how plastic contamination in soil may ultimately affect food crop quality and human health through the food chain.

2022 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 182 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Effects of nano- & microplastics on terrestrial plants are ubiquitous and widespread: a systematic review

This systematic review finds that nano- and microplastics have widespread negative effects on plants, including reduced germination, stunted growth, and biochemical stress responses. Since plants form the base of our food supply, these findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could affect crop health and potentially the quality of food we eat.

2023 CNR ExploRA
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

Can RhizosphereEffects Mitigate the Threat from Nanoplasticsand Plastic Additives to Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)?

Researchers used a root-box system to examine how nanoplastics and the plasticizer DEHP interact in the rhizosphere of tomato plants, finding that DEHP dominated the plastic pollution risk to plants and that nanoplastic co-exposure did not mitigate DEHP toxicity to soil microorganisms but increased it for food safety.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Assessing the impact of micro and nanoplastics on the productivity of vegetable crops in terrestrial horticulture: a comprehensive review

This review summarizes research on how micro and nanoplastics accumulate in farmland and get absorbed by vegetable crops through their roots, building up in the edible parts of the plants. The plastic particles cause toxic effects that stunt plant growth by disrupting cellular processes and gene activity. This means the vegetables people eat may contain microplastics picked up from contaminated soil.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

A Combined Effect of Mixed Multi-Microplastic Types on Growth and Yield of Tomato

Researchers grew tomatoes in soil spiked with a mixture of polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics and found that while the plants appeared to grow normally, the nutritional quality of the fruit changed. Microplastics significantly reduced carotenoids, flavonoids, and sugars in the tomatoes while increasing protein and certain stress-related enzymes. This suggests that even when crops look healthy, microplastics in soil could subtly reduce the nutritional value of the food we eat.

2025 Microplastics 9 citations
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

An Impact Of Microplastic And Microplastic + Lead Induced Toxicity On Growth Parameters And Chlorophyll Content Of Tomato Plant: (Comparison Study)

Researchers grew tomato plants in soil spiked with polyethylene microplastics alone and combined with lead nitrate at multiple concentrations to compare their toxicity. Both treatments reduced shoot length, fresh and dry weight, and chlorophyll content in a dose-dependent manner, with the combined microplastic-plus-lead treatment causing more severe harm than either pollutant alone.

2025 African Journal of Biomedical Research
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Humic Acid and Polystyrene Fluorescence Nanoplastics on Solanum lycopersicum Environmental Behavior and Phytotoxicity

Exposure of tomato seedlings to polystyrene fluorescent nanoplastics (100 nm) with and without humic acid showed that humic acid formed an eco-corona on nanoplastic surfaces, increasing their hydrodynamic size. The combination of nanoplastics and humic acid affected seed germination and plant growth more than either alone, demonstrating how environmental organic matter modifies nanoplastic behavior.

2022 Plants 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Tiny pollutants, big consequences: investigating the influence of nano- and microplastics on soil properties and plant health with mitigation strategies

Researchers reviewed the impact of nanoplastics and microplastics on soil properties and plant health, examining absorption and translocation mechanisms in plants. The study suggests that plastic particles alter soil structure and microbial communities, impair plant growth and nutrient uptake, and proposes mitigation strategies to address these emerging threats to agricultural ecosystems.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 1 citations