Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Impact of biochar coexistence with polar/nonpolar microplastics on phenanthrene sorption in soil

Researchers found that when microplastics and biochar coexist in soil, nonpolar polyethylene weakens soil particle adhesion to biochar more than polar PBAT, affecting the sorption behavior of the pollutant phenanthrene in agricultural soils.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Microplastics and Biochar on the Removal of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Phthalate Esters and Its Potential Microbial Ecological Mechanism

Researchers investigated the combined effects of microplastics and biochar on the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate esters from contaminated soil, finding that the combination altered microbial community structure and contaminant fate differently than either amendment alone.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 31 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Soil Use and Management 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of different additions of low-density polyethylene and microplastics polyadipate/butylene terephthalate on soil bacterial community structure

Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable PBAT microplastics and traditional LDPE microplastics on soil bacterial communities. The study found that PBAT significantly altered soil nutrient levels and bacterial community structure in a dose-dependent manner, with low additions increasing microbial richness while higher amounts reduced it. Evidence indicates that PBAT microplastics may disrupt soil carbon-nitrogen cycling and affect key processes like nitrogen fixation and phosphorus availability.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of Biochar and Microbes in Remediation of Microplastics in Soil

This review examines how biochar and soil microbes can be combined to remediate microplastic-contaminated soils, synthesizing evidence for biochar's adsorption capacity and microbial degradation pathways that reduce microplastic persistence and toxicity.

2025 Journal of Innovative Solutions for Eco-Environmental Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on bacterial community and PAHs natural attenuation in agricultural soils

Researchers found that biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics differently affect soil bacterial communities and the natural attenuation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in agricultural soils, with biodegradable plastics sometimes enhancing microbial activity while conventional plastics inhibited PAH degradation.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 55 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Environmental Pollution 135 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Environmental Research 108 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of Microplastics and Phenanthrene on Soil Chemical Properties, Enzymatic Activities, and Microbial Communities].

A 300-day experiment tested how polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics, alone and combined with the PAH pollutant phenanthrene, affected soil chemistry, enzyme activity, and microbial communities. The results showed that microplastics and phenanthrene interacted to reshape soil microbial composition and function in ways that neither contaminant produced alone, suggesting that co-contamination by microplastics and organic pollutants poses compounded risks to soil ecosystem health.

2024 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The Structural and Functional Responses of Rhizosphere Bacteria to Biodegradable Microplastics in the Presence of Biofertilizers

Researchers studied how biodegradable microplastics interact with biofertilizers in crop soils and found that even though biodegradable plastics are designed as greener alternatives, they still significantly altered soil bacterial communities and disrupted carbon metabolism pathways. The findings suggest that biodegradable microplastics may affect soil health differently than conventional plastics, but are not necessarily harmless.

2024 Plants 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar's Effects and Operations on Microbial Life within the Soil Ecosystem- A Review

Not directly relevant to microplastics — this review examines how biochar additions to soil affect microbial community structure, enzymatic activity, and contaminant transformation, without a specific focus on microplastics.

2023 International Journal of Plant & Soil Science
Article Tier 2

Interaction effects and mechanisms of microorganisms and microplastics in soil environment

This review examines how microplastics and soil microorganisms interact: microplastics disrupt soil structure, reduce water retention, and impede plant root growth, while certain bacteria and fungi can colonize and partially degrade plastic particles through a multi-step process involving colonization, fragmentation, assimilation, and mineralization. Different polymer types (PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET) attract different microbial communities, and factors like temperature, moisture, and plastic additives affect degradation rates. Understanding these interactions is key to assessing long-term soil health impacts and developing microbial strategies to reduce plastic accumulation in agricultural soils.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Mixing effect of polylactic acid microplastic and straw residue on soil property and ecological function

A pot experiment examined effects of polylactic acid (biodegradable) microplastics and straw residue on soil microbial communities and carbon/nitrogen dynamics, finding that PLA MPs had minimal effect on bacterial diversity but interacted with carbon availability to alter microbial function. The results suggest biodegradable microplastics are not ecologically neutral in soil ecosystems.

2019 Chemosphere 377 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities under contrasting soil environments

Researchers compared microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities across contrasting soil environments, finding that the type of microplastic polymer and soil conditions together determine whether microbial activity and carbon cycling are stimulated or suppressed.

2024
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Technology & Innovation 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar 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.

2024 Agronomy 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular insights into effects of PBAT microplastics on latosol microbial diversity and DOM chemodiversity

Researchers found that biodegradable PBAT microplastics significantly altered soil microbial community diversity and dissolved organic matter composition in tropical latosol over 120 days, with effects intensifying at higher microplastic concentrations.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics and environmentally persistent free radicals on the ability of biochar components to promote degradation of antibiotics by activated peroxymonosulfate

Researchers investigated how microplastics and environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) together influence the activity of soil enzymes, finding that combined exposure produced greater inhibition of dehydrogenase and urease activity than either contaminant alone. The results indicate EPFRs can amplify the toxic effects of microplastics on soil microbial processes.

2024 Environmental Pollution 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The UltravioletIrradiation Aging Characteristicsof Microplastics in Soil under the Action of Biochar

Researchers investigated how biochar application at four concentrations affects UV-induced aging of both persistent polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable PBAT microplastics in soil, finding that biochar modulates the aging behavior and physicochemical transformation of microplastics under ultraviolet irradiation.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

The plastisphere of biodegradable and conventional microplastics from residues exhibit distinct microbial structure, network and function in plastic-mulching farmland

Researchers compared the bacterial communities that colonize biodegradable and conventional plastic microplastics in farmland soil. They found that biodegradable plastics (PBAT/PLA) and conventional polyethylene each attracted distinct microbial communities with different functions, including bacteria that could degrade plastics or cycle nutrients. The results suggest that even biodegradable plastics create unique microbial environments in soil that may affect soil health and function in unexpected ways.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 214 citations