Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Plastics aplenty in paddy lands: incidence of microplastics in two rice cultivars of Kerala, India, and its impact on primary producers found in paddy fields

This study reports microplastic contamination in paddy fields and two rice cultivars in Kerala, India, raising concerns about human dietary exposure to microplastics through staple crops. The presence of microplastics in rice cultivation environments represents an understudied pathway for human ingestion.

2023
Article Tier 2

Baseline assessment of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from the coastal stretches of Karnataka and Goa, Southwestern India

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in paddy field soils across coastal regions of Karnataka and Goa in India, finding microplastics in every sample tested at all depths up to 30 cm. Fibers and polypropylene particles were the most common types, likely originating from agricultural plastic use and atmospheric deposition. The presence of toxic heavy metals on the microplastic surfaces raises additional concerns about contamination of rice crops grown in these soils.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Indian rice: A comprehensive characterization and health risk assessment

Researchers found microplastics in all samples of Indian rice tested, averaging about 30 particles per 100 grams, with polyethylene and PET being the most common types. The study estimated daily microplastic intake from rice consumption for men, women, and children, highlighting that this dietary staple is a potential pathway for plastic particles to enter the human body.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of nano/microplastics and associated toxic pollutants in paddy ecosystems: Current knowledge and future perspectives

Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics enter rice paddies through irrigation, mulch films, and atmospheric deposition, then harm soil health and rice plant growth by disrupting nutrient cycles and increasing oxidative stress. Their findings are especially significant because rice feeds more than half the world's population, yet research on plastic contamination in paddy systems remains very limited.

2024 Earth Critical Zone 3 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effect of High-Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride and Low-Density Polyethylene Microplastics on Seeding of Paddy

This study tested how three common types of plastic microparticles affect rice seedling growth, finding that they can interfere with early plant development. The results matter for food safety because rice is a staple crop for billions of people, and microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect crop yields and potentially introduce plastic particles into the food supply.

2024 Sarhad Journal of Agriculture 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Impact of Microplastics Type of Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polystyrene on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Rice Plants

Researchers investigated how three common types of microplastics, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, affect rice seed germination and early seedling growth. They found that microplastic exposure altered root development and shoot growth, with the effects varying by polymer type. The study raises concerns about how microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils could affect staple crop establishment and food production.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics retrieval from commercial rice brands in india: Characterization, dietary exposure, and risk assessment

Researchers detected and characterized microplastics in commercial rice brands from India for the first time, finding contamination in a staple food consumed by hundreds of millions of people. Fiber and fragment morphotypes dominated, with polymer identification confirming synthetic plastic rather than processing artifacts.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in rice fields: a case study of Pir Bazar rural district of Gilan, Iran

Researchers measured microplastic pollution in rice paddy soils in a rural area of northern Iran and compared them with non-paddy vegetable farms. Rice fields contained higher concentrations of microplastics, likely due to irrigation practices and plastic mulch use. The study found that fibers were the most common shape, and soil properties like organic matter content correlated with microplastic abundance, suggesting these particles could affect soil health over time.

2023 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of microplastic pollution on paddy fields in Xiangtan City, Southern China

Researchers found that microplastic abundance in paddy seedling-raising fields in China was approximately nine times higher than in standard paddy fields, with transparent plastic films being the dominant type, suggesting agricultural plastic mulch is a major source of farmland microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes in Microplastic and Associated Elemental Constituents Across Different Rice Farming Systems in North East India

Researchers assessed microplastic pollution across four agricultural land-use types in the Cachar district, India, including paddy rice, maize, vegetable, and fallow land. Microplastic abundance and composition varied by land use, with paddy rice fields showing higher contamination linked to irrigation and plastic mulch inputs.

2025 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in rice systems: Impacts, mechanisms and green remediation strategies

This review examines how microplastic contamination in rice paddies affects soil health, microbial communities, and crop yields, finding that the particles disrupt nutrient cycling, impair root growth, and reduce grain production. Researchers evaluated a range of remediation strategies including phytoremediation, microbial degradation, algae-based approaches, and genetic engineering techniques. The study highlights the urgent need for integrated solutions to protect food security from growing plastic pollution in agricultural soils.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of the effects of polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations on the plant-soil-microbiota system: A two-year field trial

Researchers conducted a two-year field trial to study how polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations affect crops, soil, and microbial communities in a rice-wheat rotation system. They found that microplastics did not harm wheat growth but actually increased rice grain weight and plant height, while reducing soil nutrient levels including nitrogen and phosphorus. The study reveals that microplastics can alter soil bacterial communities and disrupt metabolic processes in ways that differ between crop seasons.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Uneven Distribution of Microplastic Pollution in Paddy Fields Driven by Irrigation Hydrodynamics

Microplastic distribution in paddy fields was found to be uneven, with accumulation patterns influenced by irrigation, tillage, and proximity to field edges. The study maps how common rice cultivation practices drive heterogeneous microplastic distribution in one of the world's most important cropping systems.

2025 Land Degradation and Development 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in Kerala's coastal ecosystems: a review of sources, distribution, and ecological implications

Researchers reviewed microplastic contamination in Kerala's coastal waters and sediments, finding concentrations as high as 200 particles per liter in some areas, with pollution disrupting mangrove and coral reef ecosystems, entering the food chain through seafood, and posing inflammation and endocrine disruption risks to humans.

2025 Discover Geoscience 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of microplastic contaminated compost on the growth of rice seedlings

Researchers found that adding PET microplastics to compost significantly harmed rice seedling growth, reducing root length by 38%, plant height by 25%, and chlorophyll content by up to 55%. The microplastics appeared to interfere with nutrient uptake and photosynthesis. This is concerning because compost used in agriculture is often contaminated with plastic waste, which could reduce crop yields and potentially affect food quality.

2024 Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution in tropical estuary (Muttukadu Backwater), Southeast Coast of India: Occurrence, distribution characteristics, potential sources and ecological risk assessment

Scientists surveyed microplastic contamination in the water and sediments of a tropical estuary on India's southeast coast. They found moderate to high levels of microplastic pollution, with common polymers like polyethylene and polystyrene contributing the most to ecological risk. The presence of trace metals on microplastic surfaces suggests these particles may also serve as carriers for heavy metal contamination in coastal ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Status of Microplastic Accumulation in Water and Sediments of Selected Estuarine Ecosystem of Southern Kerala, India

Researchers measured microplastic levels in water and sediment from estuaries in southern Kerala, India, finding significant contamination in both habitats. The study identifies these coastal estuaries as accumulation zones for microplastic pollution, posing risks to local aquatic life and fishing communities.

2023 UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Ecological and physiological risks of micro- and nanoplastics in rice agroecosystems: Challenges and engineering-based mitigation approaches

Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics harm rice — a staple crop feeding billions — by disrupting root growth, reducing photosynthesis, altering soil microbes, and making heavy metals more available to plants. The review proposes that ecological engineering strategies like microbial bioremediation and organic soil amendments could help protect agricultural land from plastic contamination.

2026 Journal of Ecological Engineering
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on growth and metabolism of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers found that polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics inhibited rice growth and disrupted ionic homeostasis and antioxidant metabolism in a dose-dependent manner, with PVC microplastics causing more severe effects than polystyrene.

2022 Chemosphere 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic and heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils of Ernakulam District, Kerala, India

Researchers measured microplastic and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils across five farmlands in Kerala, India, finding higher pollution levels near commercial and urban areas. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the most common plastic types, and several heavy metals exceeded safe levels. The combined presence of microplastics and heavy metals in farmland soil is concerning because both contaminants can be taken up by crops, potentially affecting the safety of food grown in these areas.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations