We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Influence of soil microplastic contamination on maize (Zea mays) development and microbial dynamics
ClearPolyethylene microplastics alter soil microbial community assembly and ecosystem multifunctionality
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations affect soil microbial communities and overall ecosystem function in a maize growing system. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics shifted microbial community composition, reduced beneficial bacteria involved in nutrient cycling, and impaired multiple soil ecosystem functions simultaneously. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can undermine the biological processes that support healthy crop growth.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics on the microbial community structure of maize rhizosphere soil
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics from agricultural films affect the microbial communities in crop root zones (rhizosphere), finding shifts in bacterial diversity and function. Disrupting soil microbiomes through microplastic contamination could have downstream effects on soil fertility and crop health.
Impact of microplastic particle size on physiological and biochemical properties and rhizosphere metabolism of Zea mays L.: Comparison in different soil types
Researchers found that smaller microplastics caused more harm to corn plant growth than larger ones, and that soil type affected how toxic the microplastics were. The microplastics disrupted root metabolism and weakened the plants' ability to produce lignin, a structural compound important for healthy roots. This matters for food safety because microplastic contamination in farm soil could reduce crop yields and potentially affect the nutritional quality of food.
Micro plastic driving changes in the soil microbes and lettuce growth under the influence of heavy metals contaminated soil
Researchers studied how microplastics interact with heavy metals in contaminated soil and their combined effects on lettuce growth and soil bacteria. Different types of microplastics altered soil chemistry and changed which microbes thrived, sometimes making heavy metals more available to plants. The study suggests that microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil could affect both the safety and nutritional quality of leafy vegetables that people eat.
Effects of microplastics and cadmium co-contamination on soil properties, maize (Zea mays L.) growth characteristics, and cadmium accumulation in maize in loessial soil-maize systems
Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on soil properties and maize growth through pot experiments. They found that microplastics altered soil nutrient availability and, depending on size and concentration, either increased or decreased cadmium uptake by the plants. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can change how crops absorb toxic heavy metals, with potential implications for food safety.
Impacts of microplastics on agroecosystem multifunctionality: From plant production to soil microbial diversity and functions
A laboratory study added three common types of microplastics — polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene — to maize-soil systems at varying concentrations and measured the cascading effects on crop health and soil ecology. All types of microplastics harmed maize growth and disrupted nutrient cycling, particularly reducing phosphorus availability, though low concentrations sometimes temporarily boosted soil microbial diversity. The findings warn that microplastic buildup in agricultural soils poses a real threat to food production and ecosystem health at the scale plastics are now accumulating.
Assessment of microplastic pollution on soil health and crop responses: Insights from dose-dependent pot experiments
Researchers combined field investigation and pot experiments to assess how microplastic contamination at different doses affects soil health indicators and crop growth performance. Field soils showed measurable microplastic contamination, and pot experiments demonstrated dose-dependent effects on soil enzyme activity, water retention, and plant growth metrics.
[Adverse Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Soil Microplastics on Crops and Its Preventive Strategies].
This review summarizes the pollution status of microplastics in agricultural soils and their adverse effects on crops, including mechanical damage, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity leading to disrupted plant growth and metabolism. Researchers also examined how hazardous substances released from microplastics and contaminants adsorbed onto their surfaces contribute to soil ecosystem harm. The study identifies source control and biodegradation as the most promising strategies for reducing microplastic risks to crop production.
Microplastic: Evaluating the Impact on Soil-Microbes and Plant System
This review examines how microplastics affect soil microbial communities and plant systems in agricultural settings, documenting impacts on soil health, microbial diversity, and crop physiology. As microplastics accumulate in farmland soils through irrigation, sludge application, and plastic mulches, their effects on the soil ecosystem that underpins food production are a growing concern.
Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystem: Exploring the menace to the soil-plant-microbe interactions
This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics affect the complex relationships between soil, plants, and soil microbes. Microplastics alter soil structure, change the makeup of microbial communities, and disrupt beneficial partnerships between plants and helpful fungi and bacteria. These disruptions can reduce plant growth and nutrient cycling, which could ultimately affect crop yields and the quality of food produced on microplastic-contaminated farmland.
Interactions of microplastics and cadmium on plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in an agricultural soil
Researchers studied how polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics interact with cadmium contamination to affect maize growth and beneficial soil fungi in agricultural soil. While polyethylene showed minimal direct plant toxicity, high doses of polylactic acid significantly reduced maize biomass, and both plastic types altered the communities of root-associated fungi. The study suggests that co-contamination of microplastics and heavy metals in farmland can jointly disrupt plant health and soil ecosystems.
Impact of Plastic Residues on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity: A Comprehensive Research Study
This agricultural field study assessed how plastic residues at varying contamination levels affect soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and crop productivity, finding that higher microplastic concentrations disrupted soil structure, reduced microbial activity, and lowered plant growth.
Impacts of microplastics on terrestrial plants: A critical review
This review examines how microplastics affect land-based plants, finding that they can alter soil structure, disrupt beneficial soil microbes, and reduce plant growth. Microplastics also carry toxic chemicals like plasticizers and heavy metals that can be taken up by plant roots and enter the food chain. The findings raise concerns about human health since contaminated crops could be a hidden source of microplastic and chemical exposure in our diets.
Combined effects of heavy metals and microplastics on maize grown in acid and alkaline soils inoculated with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria
Researchers grew maize in soils contaminated with combinations of biodegradable (PLA) and conventional (LDPE) microplastics and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni) in both acid and alkaline soils, with and without plant growth-promoting bacteria. The combined microplastic-heavy metal contamination reduced growth more than either stressor alone, while bacterial inoculants partially mitigated the damage in alkaline soils.
Concentration-Dependent Impacts of Microplastics on Soil Nematode Community in Bulk Soils of Maize: Evidence From a Pot Experiment
Researchers found that polypropylene microplastics altered soil nematode community composition in a concentration-dependent manner, reducing bacterivore abundance and shifting the soil food web structure, indicating disrupted soil ecological functioning in agricultural settings.
Microplastics as Emerging Soil Pollutants
This review covers how microplastics enter and accumulate in soils, their effects on soil health, microbial communities, soil fauna, and plant growth, and the implications of widespread soil plastic contamination for ecosystem function.
Legacy effect of microplastics on plant–soil feedbacks
Researchers examined the legacy effects of microplastic contamination on plant-soil feedbacks using soil previously conditioned with various microplastic types, finding that residual microplastics altered soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling in ways that affected subsequent plant growth.
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.
Assessing Microplastic Contamination Effects on Soil Microbial Communities in Agricultural Land
This study sampled agricultural soils with varying degrees of microplastic contamination to assess effects on microbial diversity, abundance, and enzymatic activity, finding that higher microplastic concentrations reduced microbial diversity and suppressed nutrient-cycling enzyme activity.
Impact of polystyrene microplastics on cadmium uptake in corn (Zea mays L.) in a cadmium‐contaminated calcareous soil
This study found that polystyrene microplastics in soil increased the uptake of the toxic heavy metal cadmium in corn plants. The research showed that microplastic contamination in agricultural soil can make crops absorb more harmful substances. This is a direct concern for food safety, as microplastics in farmland could increase our exposure to heavy metals through the food we eat.
Effects of microplastics on farmland soils and plants: a review
This review synthesized evidence on how microplastics affect farmland soils and crops, examining changes to soil structure, microbial communities, and plant health. The authors document that MPs can enter root systems, alter nutrient uptake, and disrupt soil ecology, with implications for food safety and agricultural productivity.
Potential impacts of polyethylene microplastics and heavy metals on Bidens pilosa L. growth: Shifts in root-associated endophyte microbial communities
Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil contaminated with heavy metals significantly stunted plant growth, reducing root length by nearly 49% and increasing harmful reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. The microplastics also shifted the soil's microbial communities toward stress-resistant species, demonstrating how plastic pollution can disrupt the soil ecosystem that supports our food supply.
Influencing mechanisms of microplastics existence on soil heavy metals accumulated by plants
This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics in soil affect the uptake of heavy metals by plants. Microplastics can change soil chemistry and microbial communities in ways that alter how much toxic metals plants absorb through their roots. This is concerning for human health because microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil could lead to crops that contain higher levels of dangerous heavy metals.
Tiny toxins, big problems: the hidden threat of microplastic in agroecosystems
This review examines the impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, covering sources from plastic mulch and irrigation, effects on soil structure, water retention, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling, and consequences for crop health and food safety.