Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Divergent impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on pesticide fate and toxicity in a soil–chive system, underscoring a soil-plant-microbe disruption

Researchers found that biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, despite being marketed as eco-friendly, significantly delayed pesticide degradation in soil and increased plant uptake of a toxic pesticide metabolite by up to 59%. PLA disrupted beneficial soil bacteria and interfered with plant detoxification pathways, while conventional polyethylene microplastics had comparatively milder effects. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may pose unexpected risks when they interact with pesticides in agricultural soils.

2026 Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology
Article Tier 2

Interactions of traditional and biodegradable microplastics with neonicotinoid pesticides

Researchers investigated how both traditional and biodegradable microplastics interact with neonicotinoid pesticides in agricultural environments. They found that all microplastic types could adsorb the pesticide thiacloprid, but biodegradable microplastics showed different sorption behavior and higher desorption rates compared to conventional plastics. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may actually increase pesticide mobility in soils, creating a previously unrecognized pathway for agricultural chemical contamination.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics mulch film affects the environmental behavior of adsorption and degradation of pesticide residues in soil

Researchers tested how new, aged, and biodegradable polyethylene mulch film microplastics affect the adsorption and degradation of the pesticides imidacloprid and flumioxazin in soil. All three MP types slowed initial pesticide adsorption and extended the time to reach equilibrium, with aged MPs showing the greatest effect, potentially prolonging pesticide persistence in agricultural soils.

2022 Environmental Research 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on Bioavailability, Persistence and Toxicity of Plant Pesticides: An Agricultural Perspective

This review examines how microplastics in soil interact with pesticides, generally reducing pesticide effectiveness by absorbing the chemicals onto their surfaces. While this lowers the immediate toxicity of pesticides, it also makes them last longer in the environment and may reduce pest control in agriculture, potentially affecting food production and the long-term safety of the food supply.

2025 Agriculture 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the environmental behaviors of the herbicide atrazine in soil: Dissipation, adsorption, and bioconcentration

Researchers examined how the presence of microplastics in soil affects the behavior of the herbicide atrazine, including how quickly it breaks down and how much is absorbed by plants. They found that microplastics reduced the herbicide's half-life in soil, increased its adsorption to soil particles, and significantly boosted its uptake into plant tissues. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could change how pesticides behave, potentially increasing crop contamination.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of neonicotinoid insecticides by mulch film-derived microplastics and their combined toxicity

Researchers studied how microplastics from agricultural mulch films interact with common insecticides used on crops. They found that biodegradable plastic (PBAT) microplastics adsorbed more pesticide than conventional polyethylene microplastics, and that aging increased this adsorption capacity. When combined, the microplastics and insecticides were more toxic to soil organisms than either pollutant alone, suggesting an underappreciated risk in agricultural soils.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of the sorption behaviors and mechanisms of amide herbicides on biodegradable and nondegradable microplastics derived from agricultural plastic products

Sorption behavior of amide herbicides onto biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics was compared, finding that polymer type and weathering state significantly influenced herbicide uptake. The results inform assessments of whether microplastics in intensively farmed soils amplify herbicide mobility and bioavailability.

2022 Environmental Pollution 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the effect of microplastics on the adsorption and degradation behavior of thiamethoxam in agricultural soils

Researchers found that microplastics in agricultural soil alter both the adsorption and degradation behavior of the pesticide thiamethoxam, with different plastic types showing varying effects on how the pesticide binds to soil and breaks down over time.

2023 Chemosphere 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin onto degradable and non-degradable microplastics: Performance and mechanism

Researchers studied how two common fungicide pesticides attach to both biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil environments. They found that non-degradable microplastics absorbed more pesticide and released it more slowly than biodegradable alternatives. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil may act as reservoirs for pesticides, potentially prolonging their environmental presence and ecological impact.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence on the processes of retention and transport of pesticides and ecotoxicity of microplastics in a tropical soil

Researchers investigated how high-density polyethylene microplastics from agricultural mulch films affect the behavior of three pesticides in tropical soil, finding that microplastics altered pesticide sorption, transport, and leaching while also increasing ecotoxicological effects on earthworms.

2023 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Adsorption behavior and mechanism of different types of (aged) microplastics for napropamide in soils

Researchers studied how different types of microplastics, both conventional and biodegradable, affect the soil absorption of the herbicide napropamide. They found that aged microplastics had significantly different adsorption properties than new ones, and that the presence of microplastics generally altered how the herbicide behaved in soil. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution may change how agricultural chemicals move through and persist in farmland.

2024 Chemosphere 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of different microplastics polymers and albendazole and pyraclostrobin mix on arugula (Eruca vesicaria) physiology and growth

Researchers exposed arugula plants to conventional (LDPE) and biodegradable (PBAT) microplastics combined with a pesticide-antiparasitic mixture, and found that only the conventional plastic significantly amplified the chemicals' toxicity, reducing plant growth more than either pollutant alone. This shows that conventional microplastics can act as carriers that worsen the effects of agricultural chemicals in soil.

2025 Next Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Sorption to mulch film decreases bioavailability of two model pesticides for earthworms in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene mulch film microplastics interact with pesticides in agricultural soil and their combined effects on earthworms. The study found that sorption of pesticides to mulch film microplastics actually decreased the bioavailability of two model pesticides to earthworms, suggesting that in some cases microplastics may reduce rather than increase pesticide toxicity to soil organisms.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastic on sorption, toxicity, and mineralization of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ionic liquids

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics interact with herbicide formulations designed as ionic liquids in the environment. They found that the surface-active components of these herbicides readily adsorb onto microplastic surfaces, potentially altering how the chemicals move through ecosystems. The study raises concerns that microplastics may act as carriers for agricultural chemicals, prolonging their persistence in soil and water.

2024 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Chlorpyrifos degradation and its impacts on phosphorus bioavailability in microplastic-contaminated soil

This study found that microplastics made from polylactic acid (a biodegradable plastic) in soil changed how the pesticide chlorpyrifos breaks down and altered the availability of phosphorus, a key nutrient for crops. The microplastics slowed pesticide degradation and affected soil enzyme activity, which could impact both food safety and crop nutrition. The findings show that even biodegradable microplastics can disrupt important soil processes that affect the food supply.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide on different type of microplastics present in alluvial soil

Researchers investigated the adsorption of three pesticides (acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole, and flubendiamide) onto different types of microplastics in alluvial agricultural soil, finding that microplastics act as vectors for these organic pesticide compounds and affect soil microorganism activity.

2020 Chemosphere 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions of Microplastics with Pesticides in Soils and Their Ecotoxicological Implications

This review examines how microplastics interact with pesticides in soil environments, finding that microplastics can sorb and transport pesticides, potentially altering their bioavailability and toxicity to soil organisms and ecosystems.

2023 Agronomy 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural film-derived microplastics elevate the potential risk of pesticides in soil ecosystem: The inhibited leaching by altering soil pore

Researchers found that microplastics derived from agricultural mulch film can increase the environmental risk of pesticides by altering soil pore structure and inhibiting pesticide leaching. Smaller microplastic particles had a stronger effect on trapping pesticides in the upper soil layers, leading to higher localized concentrations. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and pesticides in farm soils may create compounding contamination risks for agricultural ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Pesticide bioaccumulation in radish produced from soil contaminated with microplastics

Researchers examined how microplastics in soil affect the bioaccumulation of pesticides in radishes, finding that aged microplastics enhanced the uptake of chlorpyrifos into the edible root. The study suggests that the combination of microplastics and pesticide mixtures in agricultural soils may increase food safety risks beyond what would be expected from individual contaminants alone.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastic addition on glyphosate decay and soil microbial activities in Chinese loess soil

Adding polyethylene microplastics to soil influenced the degradation of the herbicide glyphosate and altered microbial activity, with effects depending on the concentration of both microplastics and glyphosate. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could affect how long pesticides persist and how soil microbes function.

2018 Environmental Pollution 222 citations