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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Stress of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics on pakchoi（Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis） and soil bacteria: Biochar mitigation
ClearBiochar Influences Polyethylene Microplastic-Contaminated Soil Properties and Enzyme Activities
This study examined how biochar additions modify the properties of polyethylene microplastic-contaminated soil and affect plant growth, finding that biochar partially mitigated microplastic-induced soil degradation and improved plant performance. Biochar shows promise as a low-cost soil amendment to counteract microplastic impacts.
Biochar alleviated the toxic effects of PVC microplastic in a soil-plant system by upregulating soil enzyme activities and microbial abundance
Researchers tested whether adding biochar to soil could reduce the harmful effects of PVC microplastic contamination on plant growth and soil health. They found that biochar amendment increased plant biomass, restored soil enzyme activity, and boosted beneficial microbial populations that had been suppressed by the microplastics. The study suggests that biochar could serve as a practical tool for rehabilitating agricultural soils contaminated with plastic particles.
Effects of biochar amendment on bacterial communities and their function predictions in a microplastic-contaminated Capsicum annuum L. soil
Researchers investigated how adding biochar to soil contaminated with microplastics affects bacterial communities during pepper plant growth. They found that biochar amendment helped restore bacterial diversity and shifted community composition toward beneficial species, counteracting some of the negative effects of microplastic contamination. The study suggests that biochar could be a practical soil management tool for supporting microbial health in plastic-polluted agricultural systems.
Naturally aged polylactic acid microplastics stunted pakchoi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) growth with cadmium in soil
Researchers investigated the combined effects of naturally aged polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics and cadmium on pakchoi growth in soil. The study found that aged PLA microplastics were more detrimental than virgin ones, and the combination with cadmium further stunted plant growth and disrupted antioxidant systems and soil microbial activities.
Potential Effect of Biochar on Soil Properties, Microbial Activity and Vicia faba Properties Affected by Microplastics Contamination
Researchers found that microplastic contamination significantly altered soil properties and reduced Vicia faba plant growth and microbial activity, while biochar amendment at 2% effectively mitigated these adverse effects.
The toxicological effect on pak choi of co-exposure to degradable and non-degradable microplastics with oxytetracycline in the soil
This study tested how microplastics and the antibiotic oxytetracycline, both common contaminants in farmland soil, affect pak choi (a leafy vegetable). Both types of microplastics harmed root growth, photosynthesis, and plant metabolism, and surprisingly, biodegradable PLA microplastics caused more damage than conventional polyethylene ones. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could reduce crop quality and nutritional value, with so-called eco-friendly plastics potentially being worse for plants.
Biochar-mediated remediation of low-density polyethylene microplastic-polluted soil-plant systems: Role of phosphorus and protist community responses
Researchers found that adding biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive) to soil contaminated with microplastics helped improve plant growth by restoring phosphorus cycling. The microplastics disrupted soil microbe communities, but biochar treatment shifted these communities in beneficial ways. This suggests biochar could be a practical tool for farming in soils contaminated with plastic pollution.
Biochar alters chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil
Researchers found that biochar amendments improved chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil, with effects varying by biochar type and water conditions, suggesting biochar as a potential remediation tool for plastic-polluted agricultural soils.
Effects of incorporating biochar on soil quality and barley yield in microplastics-contaminated soils
This study tested whether adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil could improve soil quality and crop performance. Researchers found that biochar application helped offset some of the negative effects of microplastics on soil properties and boosted barley yields even under drought conditions. The results suggest biochar could be a practical tool for managing farmland affected by plastic pollution.
Effects of biochar on the phytotoxicity of polyvinyl chloride microplastics
Researchers tested whether biochar made from corncob could reduce the harmful effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on lettuce grown in hydroponic conditions. They found that biochar adsorbed the microplastics and reduced their attachment to plant roots, improving lettuce growth and quality. The study suggests biochar could serve as a practical tool for mitigating microplastic toxicity in agricultural settings.
Combined effect of biochar and soil moisture on soil chemical properties and microbial community composition in microplastic‐contaminated agricultural soil
Biochar was applied to microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil under different moisture conditions, with results showing that biochar improved soil chemical properties and shifted microbial communities in ways that partially offset microplastic-induced degradation. The study suggests biochar as a practical soil amendment to mitigate microplastic impacts in farming systems.
Influence of polyethylene terephthalate microplastic and biochar co-existence on paddy soil bacterial community structure and greenhouse gas emission
Researchers studied how polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and biochar, both common in agricultural soils, affect soil bacteria and greenhouse gas emissions during rice cultivation. They found that microplastics alone reduced bacterial diversity, but adding biochar alongside the microplastics partially restored microbial communities and altered gas emissions. The study suggests that biochar may help mitigate some of the negative soil health effects of microplastic contamination in paddy fields.
Enhanced degradation of polylactic acid microplastics in acidic soils: Does the application of biochar matter?
Researchers studied how adding biochar to acidic soil affects the breakdown of polylactic acid microplastics over one year. They found that both chicken manure and wood waste biochars accelerated the degradation of the biodegradable microplastics by altering soil chemistry and microbial activity. The findings suggest that biochar could be a useful tool for speeding up the decomposition of biodegradable plastic residues in agricultural soils.
How biochar works, and when it doesn't: A review of mechanisms controlling soil and plant responses to biochar
This comprehensive review synthesizes 20 years of research on biochar, a charcoal-like material made from organic waste that can improve soil health and reduce pollution. Biochar can reduce plant uptake of heavy metals by 17-39% and increase nutrient availability, making it potentially useful for cleaning up microplastic-contaminated soils. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant because biochar could help mitigate the effects of soil pollutants that microplastics carry and concentrate.
Biochar counteracts the negative effects of microplastics on physiological and biochemical characteristics and leaf metabolism in Zea mays L
Researchers studied whether biochar could counteract the harmful effects of microplastics on maize plant growth and soil health. They found that adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil restored antioxidant enzyme balance, improved beneficial metabolic pathways in leaves, and increased bacterial community diversity. The study suggests biochar may help plants resist microplastic-induced stress by boosting glucose metabolism in root systems.
Biodegradable PBAT microplastics adversely affect pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) growth and the rhizosphere ecology: Focusing on rhizosphere microbial community composition, element metabolic potential, and root exudates
Researchers compared biodegradable PBAT plastic microplastics with conventional polyethylene microplastics in soil and found that the biodegradable version actually caused more harm to plant growth and soil health. PBAT microplastics reduced nutrient availability, disrupted the soil microbial community, and altered root chemistry more than conventional plastic. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment.
Exploring the potential of biochar for the remediation of microbial communities and element cycling in microplastic-contaminated soil
Scientists found that adding biochar (a charcoal-like material made from plant waste) to soil contaminated with microplastics helped restore healthy microbial communities and nutrient cycling. The biochar reversed negative effects that microplastics had on soil chemistry, including nitrogen and phosphorus availability. This suggests biochar could be a practical tool for repairing farmland damaged by microplastic pollution.
Effects of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics on plant growth and bacterial community in the soil
Researchers compared the effects of regular polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on soybean growth and soil bacteria. Surprisingly, the biodegradable microplastics caused more harm than conventional ones, significantly reducing root growth and altering soil bacterial communities important for nitrogen fixation. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment and raises questions about their impact on food crops.
Effect of Microplastics on the Growth of Wheat Seedlings in Biochar Remediation of Cd‐Contaminated Soil
Researchers conducted a pot experiment examining how biodegradable PLA and non-biodegradable PA6 microplastics affect wheat seedling growth in cadmium-contaminated soil amended with biochar. The study found that the presence of microplastics influenced the effectiveness of biochar in promoting plant growth under cadmium stress, with differential effects depending on plastic type.
Contrasting effects of food waste and its biochar on soil properties and lettuce growth in a microplastic-contaminated soil
This study tested how food waste compost and biochar affect lettuce growth in soil contaminated with polystyrene microplastics. While microplastics alone did not change soil chemistry much, combining them with organic amendments altered soil pH and nutrient availability in unexpected ways. The findings suggest that how we manage contaminated farm soil matters, since common soil improvement practices may interact with microplastic pollution to affect crop health.
Advancing modified biochar for sustainable agriculture: a comprehensive review on characterization, analysis, and soil performance
This review covers how biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, can be modified to improve soil health and crop growth. While not directly about microplastics, modified biochar has been studied as a potential tool for absorbing and immobilizing microplastics in contaminated soil. Understanding how to optimize biochar properties could help develop strategies for reducing microplastic uptake by food crops.
Biochar as a Soil Amendment for Mulch-Derived Microplastics-Contaminated Soils: Impacts on Raphanus sativus L. Growth Under Greenhouse Conditions
A greenhouse pot experiment tested whether adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil could improve crop growth, finding that a 3% biochar addition produced the best radish yields — significantly higher fresh weight — in soil spiked with 0.5% microplastics by weight. Biochar also improved multiple soil health indicators including pH, water retention, organic carbon, and nitrogen availability. The results suggest biochar soil amendment is a promising remediation strategy for agricultural land contaminated by plastic mulch film debris, though more testing across different plastic and crop types is needed.
Conventional low-density polyethylene microplastic induce stronger adverse effects on maize–soil–bacteria system than polylactic acid microplastic
A comparison of conventional low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics from mulch film found that LDPE consistently inhibited maize growth while low concentrations of PLA actually promoted it. Both plastic types entered maize root tissues but followed different pathways, and LDPE caused greater harm to soil bacterial communities, suggesting that switching from conventional to biodegradable mulch is genuinely beneficial for agricultural soil health.
Biochar Mitigates the Negative Effects of Microplastics on Sugarcane Growth by Altering Soil Nutrients and Microbial Community Structure and Function
Microplastic contamination in sugarcane-growing soils in China reduces crop biomass and degrades soil nutrients and microbial diversity. Adding biochar to microplastic-polluted soil helped offset these harms — restoring sugarcane growth, stabilizing soil pH, and improving bacterial community richness. The findings suggest biochar is a practical tool for rehabilitating agricultural land affected by plastic pollution.