Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Influences of land use and depth profile on the characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils

Researchers examined how land use and soil depth profile influence microplastic characteristics in agricultural soils, finding that wastewater and sludge application, plastic mulching, and atmospheric deposition are key sources, and that MP type and abundance vary with soil management practice and depth, highlighting the importance of vertical distribution in soil MP studies.

2025
Article Tier 2

Research Progress on Source Analysis, Ecological Effects, and Separation Technology of Soil Microplastics

This review synthesizes recent progress on soil microplastic sources (primarily agricultural plastic mulch and wastewater irrigation), ecological impacts on soil structure and microbial communities, and available separation and detection technologies for assessing contamination.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Microplastics abundance associated with farmland use types and the impact on soil microbial communities: A case study in Southern China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across orchard, paddy field, and vegetable field soils in Southern China and analyzed how it affected soil microbial communities. They found microplastic levels ranging widely across sites, with very small particles under 30 micrometers being most common, and identified 32 different polymer types. The study shows that farmland use type and agricultural practices like plastic mulching significantly influence both the amount and type of microplastic contamination in soils.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and Analysis of Microplastics in Farmland Soils: Characterization, Sources, and Pathways

This study quantified and characterized microplastics in farmland soils from multiple sites, identifying agricultural mulch films, irrigation water, and compost as major sources and documenting widespread soil contamination across different farming regions.

2021 Agriculture 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Soil-Dwelling Bacterial Community Changes Induced by Microplastic Ex posure Using Amplicon Sequencing

Researchers analyzed soil bacterial community composition after microplastic contamination, finding that different polymer types caused distinct shifts in microbial diversity and functional groups, with implications for soil nutrient cycling and agricultural productivity.

2025 Korean Science Education Society for the Gifted
Article Tier 2

Macro and microplastics in the soil: abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions under different land uses in an agricultural sub-basin

Researchers examined the abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions of macro- and microplastics in soils under different land uses within an agricultural sub-basin, assessing how land-use patterns influence plastic pollution distribution and potential interactions with the soil environment.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Impact of Different Soil Tillage Practices on Microplastic Particle Abundance and Distribution

Field experiments across different tillage and fertilization regimes quantified microplastic abundance and vertical distribution in agricultural soils, finding that tillage practices significantly influenced how deeply microplastics are mixed through the soil profile.

2025 Soil Systems
Article Tier 2

Identification and characterization of extracted microplastics from agricultural soil near industrial area: FTIR and X‐ray diffraction method

Researchers extracted and characterized microplastics from agricultural soil near a plastics manufacturing site, finding a range of polymer types and shapes and demonstrating an effective isolation protocol using density flotation with saturated NaCl.

2023 Environmental Quality Management 22 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative study on the distribution behavior of microplastics through FT-IR analysis on different land uses in agricultural soils

Researchers compared microplastic distribution in agricultural soils under different land uses, including soil mulching, plastic housing, and sewage sludge composting. Using FT-IR analysis, the study found that plastic particles smaller than 100 micrometers were present across all conditions, highlighting the widespread and persistent nature of microplastic contamination in agricultural environments.

2022 Environmental Research 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulation in agricultural soil: Evidence for the presence, potential effects, extraction, and current bioremediation approaches

This review examines the accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulching and irrigation, discussing their effects on soil properties and crop growth, along with current bioremediation approaches for removing soil microplastics.

2022 Journal of Applied Biology & Biotechnology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics used in agronomic practices on agricultural soil properties and plant functions: Potential contribution to the circular economy of rural areas

Researchers measured the effects of microplastics used in common agricultural practices — including mulch film residues and irrigation-delivered particles — on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Microplastic presence altered soil aggregation, water retention, and microbial community composition, with effects depending on plastic concentration, polymer type, and soil texture.

2024 Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 5 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 ACADEMIA Biota Nexus Journal
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soil

This book chapter surveys microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, reviewing the sources of plastic inputs, concentrations found in different farming systems, and the effects of MPs on soil properties, microbial communities, and crop yields.

2025
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soils: sources, impacts, and mitigation strategies

This review summarizes how microplastics enter agricultural soils through wastewater irrigation, plastic mulch breakdown, and atmospheric deposition, where they alter soil structure, microbial communities, and water retention. The particles can also carry heavy metals and organic pollutants into the food chain, threatening both crop productivity and human health, making it important to reduce plastic use in farming and improve waste management.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in soils with different agricultural practices: Importance of sources with internal origin and environmental fate

Microplastic abundance and characteristics were examined in soils representing four agricultural practice types in Chinese farmland to evaluate the influence of land use on plastic particle accumulation. Microplastic concentrations and polymer types varied by agricultural practice, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation water source as key drivers of farmland soil contamination.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 282 citations
Article Tier 2

Vertical distributions of microplastics in long-term mulched soils and their potential impacts on soil properties and microbial diversity

Microplastic concentrations were measured at different depths in agricultural soils that had been mulched with plastic film over many years, finding vertical stratification with higher concentrations near the surface. Long-term plastic mulching leads to progressive accumulation of microplastics throughout the soil profile.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics distribution and microbial community characteristics of farmland soil under different mulch methods

This study compared microplastic distribution and soil microbial community structure in farmland soils under different plastic film mulching methods including no mulch, biodegradable film, and conventional polyethylene film. Mulching method significantly altered both microplastic abundance and microbial diversity in the top soil layer.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterizing Microplastic Pollution and Microbial Community Status in Rice Paddy Soils Across Varied Environmental Settings in Songjiang, Shanghai: An Analysis of Morpho-Chemical Characteristics

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution and associated microbial communities in rice paddy soils, finding widespread microplastic contamination that correlated with shifts in soil bacterial diversity. Plastic-associated microbial communities differed from bulk soil communities, suggesting microplastics create distinct microbial niches in agricultural environments.

2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 ACS symposium series 2 citations
Review Tier 2

Origin, Occurrence and Threats of Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: A Comprehensive Review

This comprehensive review examines how microplastics enter and accumulate in agricultural soils through plastic mulch films, sewage sludge, and fertilizers. Researchers found that polypropylene and polyethylene are the dominant polymers in farmland soils, and that microplastics negatively affect soil microbial communities, harm soil invertebrates, and can induce oxidative stress and cell damage in plants.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Plant Science Today
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

Advances in the analysis of relevant microplastic types in agricultural soils

Researchers developed an optimized soil purification protocol for extracting and identifying microplastic particles from agricultural soils, systematically testing and combining multiple extraction and purification steps to improve the accuracy of polymer identification across different soil types.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: An Emerging Threat to Soil Health, Microbial Ecology, Crop Productivity, and Food Safety

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that these particles can disrupt soil microbial communities, harm plant health, and potentially enter the human food chain. The study highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to address this growing but often overlooked form of pollution in farmland.

2025 International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 4 citations