Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Insights into interactions of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics with heavy metals

Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics can adsorb heavy metals like cadmium, copper, and chromium at rates comparable to or exceeding conventional non-biodegradable plastics, suggesting biodegradable microplastics may also serve as carriers of toxic metals in the environment.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into effects of drying–wetting cycles on dissolved organic matter and Cd bioavailability in riparian sediments amended with microplastics

This study examined how microplastics interact with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in riverside sediments during wet and dry cycles that mimic natural flooding conditions. Biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics increased cadmium availability more than conventional plastics, likely because they release chemical additives as they break down. The results suggest that even biodegradable plastics in soil and sediment can make heavy metal contamination worse, raising concerns about their impact on water quality and food safety.

2025 Environmental Research 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and metals: Microplastics generated from biodegradable polylactic acid mulch reduce bioaccumulation of cadmium in earthworms compared to those generated from polyethylene

Researchers compared how microplastics from biodegradable (PLA) and conventional (polyethylene) plastic mulch interact with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in soil with earthworms. PLA microplastics absorbed much more cadmium than polyethylene, reducing the amount of this toxic metal available to earthworms. While this suggests biodegradable plastics may offer some protection against heavy metal exposure in contaminated soils, both types still contribute to microplastic pollution.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption Behaviors of Cadmium Regulated by Microplastics Properties in a Forest Soil

Microplastics and cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) frequently pollute forest soils together, and this study examined how different types, sizes, and concentrations of microplastics affect cadmium's behavior in soil. Biodegradable plastics like PBS and PBA adsorbed and released more cadmium than conventional polyethylene, and microplastics altered the soil's organic matter in ways that influenced how cadmium moved and became available to organisms. These findings matter because co-contamination by microplastics and heavy metals in soils may compound environmental and food-chain risks beyond what either pollutant causes alone.

2025 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the interactions between microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soil solution: adsorption performance influenced by microplastic types

Environmental-simulating microplastics (aged under environmental conditions) showed higher cadmium and chromium adsorption capacity than commercial microplastics in agricultural soil solutions, with surface oxidation increasing adsorption—suggesting that aged microplastics are more effective co-transporters of heavy metals in contaminated agricultural soils.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption and desorption characteristics of heavy metals onto conventional and biodegradable plastics.

This study compared how conventional polyethylene plastic bags and biodegradable polylactic acid bags adsorb heavy metals like lead and cadmium from water. Both types adsorbed significant amounts of heavy metals, suggesting that biodegradable plastics, before they decompose, can still act as vectors transporting toxic metals through aquatic food chains.

2023 Chemosphere
Article Tier 2

The Hidden Crisisof Biodegradable Plastics: PolylacticAcid Microplastics Increase Soil Cd and Pb Bioavailability and AssociatedHuman Health Risks

Researchers conducted a pot experiment to assess how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics affect the soil availability and plant uptake of cadmium and lead in co-contaminated agricultural soils. PLA microplastics increased the bioavailability of both heavy metals, raising human health risks from crops grown in PLA-contaminated soils.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Aging properties of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics and their adsorption behavior of Cd(II) and Cr(VI) in aquatic environments

Researchers compared how polyethylene and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics age in the environment and how that aging affects their ability to absorb heavy metals like cadmium and chromium from water. They found that aging changed the surface chemistry of both plastic types, increasing their capacity to pick up these toxic metals. The findings matter because aged microplastics in the environment may concentrate and transport more pollutants than fresh plastic particles.

2024 Chemosphere 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on cadmium accumulation by rice and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in cadmium-contaminated soil

Researchers studied how three types of microplastics interact with cadmium contamination in rice paddies, examining effects on plant growth, metal uptake, and soil fungal communities. They found that while microplastics generally increased cadmium availability in soil, they actually decreased cadmium accumulation in rice tissues. Notably, biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics caused more harm to plant growth and soil communities than conventional plastic types, challenging the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 171 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic dilemma: Assessing the unexpected trade-offs between biodegradable and non-biodegradable forms on plant health, cadmium uptake, and sediment microbial ecology

This study compared the environmental effects of biodegradable and conventional plastic microplastics in contaminated sediments, finding that biodegradable plastics actually caused more oxidative stress and greater changes to soil bacteria than conventional plastics. Both types helped plant roots absorb more of the toxic metal cadmium. The surprising finding that biodegradable plastics may pose higher ecological risks challenges the assumption that they are always a safer alternative.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene and poly (butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate)-based biodegradable microplastics modulate the bioavailability and speciation of Cd and As in soil: Insights into transformation mechanisms

Biodegradable PBAT and conventional polyethylene microplastics added to soil were both found to alter soil physicochemical properties and change the speciation and bioavailability of heavy metals including lead and cadmium. The study highlights that both conventional and so-called biodegradable microplastics can exacerbate heavy metal risks in contaminated agricultural soils.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Microplastics on the Adsorption and Desorption Properties of Cadmium in Soil

Polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics were found to reduce soil's capacity to adsorb cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, raising concerns that microplastic contamination in farmland soils could increase the mobility and risk of heavy metal pollutants.

2022 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics influence the adsorption and desorption characteristics of Cd in an agricultural soil

Batch experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics reduced cadmium adsorption but increased desorption in farmland soil, with effects varying by MP dose, particle size, and pH. The findings indicate microplastics could increase cadmium mobility in agricultural soils, potentially raising risks of crop uptake.

2019 Journal of Hazardous Materials 374 citations
Article Tier 2

Differential Impactsof Conventional and BiodegradableMicroplastics on Cadmium Transfer in a Soil-Earthworm-Lettuce System

A microcosm experiment tested how conventional and biodegradable microplastics affected cadmium transfer in a soil-earthworm-lettuce system. High doses of conventional MPs increased cadmium in plant shoots by 54% and in earthworms by 80%, while biodegradable MPs had less effect, suggesting polymer type matters for metal contamination risk in agroecosystems.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the soil-plant system: Phytotoxicity, Cd accumulation and microbial activity

Researchers tested how different microplastic types combined with cadmium affect plant growth and soil health. Aged and biodegradable microplastics increased cadmium uptake in mustard greens more than fresh conventional plastics did. The study also found that microplastics altered soil microbial activity, suggesting that plastic pollution in farmland could change how plants absorb toxic metals from contaminated soil.

2023 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-transport of degradable microplastics with Cd(Ⅱ) in saturated porous media: Synergistic effects of strong adsorption affinity and high mobility

Researchers investigated the co-transport of degradable microplastics with cadmium in saturated porous media, finding that these plastics' strong adsorption affinity and high mobility create synergistic effects that enhance heavy metal migration in soil.

2023 Environmental Pollution 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of biodegradable microplastics and Cd co-pollution on Cd bioavailability and plastisphere in soil-plant system

Researchers examined how biodegradable microplastics interact with cadmium contamination in agricultural soil where lettuce is grown. They found that the biodegradable plastics indirectly increased cadmium availability to plants by lowering soil pH and changing soil chemistry. The study suggests that even eco-friendly biodegradable plastics may worsen heavy metal contamination risks in farming soils.

2024 Chemosphere 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption behavior of heavy metals onto microplastics derived from conventional and biodegradable commercial plastic products

Researchers tested how well different types of microplastics, including both conventional and biodegradable plastics, absorb heavy metals like lead, nickel, copper, zinc, and cadmium from water. They found that all microplastic types could pick up significant amounts of heavy metals, with biodegradable plastics sometimes absorbing even more than conventional ones. This is concerning because microplastics carrying heavy metals could deliver a double dose of contamination to organisms that ingest them.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics reduce chemisorption of cadmium in paddy soil and increase its bioaccessibility and bioavailability

Researchers found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics reduce cadmium chemisorption in paddy soil while increasing its bioaccessibility and bioavailability, suggesting that microplastic contamination in rice paddies could enhance heavy metal uptake by crops and human dietary exposure.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Plant Cadmium Toxicity and Biomarkers Are Differentially Modulated by Degradable and Nondegradable Microplastics in Soil

Researchers compared how degradable (polylactic acid) and nondegradable (polypropylene) microplastics affect cadmium toxicity in plants grown in contaminated soil. They found that polypropylene caused greater root growth inhibition, while polylactic acid led to higher levels of cellular stress markers at certain concentrations. The study reveals that both types of microplastics can alter soil chemistry and increase the uptake of heavy metals by crops, but through different mechanisms.

2024 Toxics 6 citations