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Article Tier 2

Inhibition of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Growth, Development, and Promotion of Root Nodulation Including Plant Nitrogen Uptake Triggered by Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics

Researchers investigated the impact of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics at four dosages (0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5%) on the growth, development, root nodulation, and nitrogen uptake of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) plants. They found that PVC microplastics inhibited plant growth and development while paradoxically promoting root nodulation, suggesting complex soil-plant-microbiome interactions that could have implications for nitrogen cycling and food security in contaminated agricultural soils.

2025 ACS Omega
Article Tier 2

Microplastics reduce nitrogen uptake in peanut plants by damaging root cells and impairing soil nitrogen cycling

Researchers found that microplastics reduce nitrogen uptake in peanut plants by damaging root cells and impairing soil nitrogen cycling, with polypropylene and rubber crumb particles at high concentrations inhibiting plant growth and disrupting the soil-plant nitrogen system.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 143 citations
Article Tier 2

Inhibition of Peanut(Arachis hypogaea L.) Growth, Development,and Promotion of Root Nodulation IncludingPlant Nitrogen Uptake Triggered by Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics

Researchers investigated the impact of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 3.5% on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) growth, development, root nodulation, and nitrogen uptake. They found that PVC microplastics inhibited above-ground plant growth while promoting root nodule formation, indicating that soil microplastic contamination can disrupt plant physiology and nitrogen cycling in agricultural systems.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Deciphering the response of nodule bacteriome homeostasis in the bulk soil-rhizosphere-root-nodule ecosystem to soil microplastic pollution

Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastic contamination in soil affects the bacterial communities associated with legume plant root nodules. They found that microplastic treatments accelerated nodule formation but disrupted the balance of beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nodules. The study suggests that soil microplastic pollution may interfere with the symbiotic relationship between legume crops and their nitrogen-fixing bacterial partners.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene Microplastics Inhibit Peanut Nodulation via Metabolic and Transcriptional Pathways

Scientists found that tiny plastic pieces from agricultural plastic films prevent peanut plants from forming healthy partnerships with beneficial soil bacteria that help them grow. These microplastics disrupt the plant's natural processes and block the formation of root nodules, which are essential for peanuts to get nitrogen from soil bacteria. This matters because it shows how plastic pollution in farmland could reduce crop yields and food production, potentially affecting our food supply.

2026 Plants
Article Tier 2

Response of peanut plant and soil N-fixing bacterial communities to conventional and biodegradable microplastics

Researchers tested how conventional plastics (polyethylene and polystyrene) and a biodegradable plastic (polylactic acid) affect peanut plant growth and nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria. They found that while none of the plastics reduced plant biomass, the biodegradable PLA at high doses dramatically altered soil nitrogen levels and bacterial community composition. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may not be as harmless to agricultural soil ecosystems as commonly assumed.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable and conventional mulches inhibit nitrogen fixation by peanut root nodules – potentially related to microplastics in the soil

A four-year mulching experiment with peanuts found that both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable (PLA-PBAT) plastic mulches reduced root nodule nitrogen fixation by 54–59%, with microplastics from the mulch films likely contributing to this suppression. Since biological nitrogen fixation is a key natural process that reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, this finding suggests that agricultural plastic use may have hidden costs for soil fertility and farming sustainability.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium co-contamination on the soybean-soil system: Integrated metabolic and rhizosphere microbial mechanisms

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics and cadmium interact in soybean-soil systems and found that specific microplastic concentrations enhanced cadmium accumulation in roots under moderate contamination. Higher microplastic levels reduced beneficial soil bacteria like Sphingomonas and Bradyrhizobium and suppressed nitrogen-cycling functions. The study demonstrates that microplastics fundamentally alter heavy metal behavior through interconnected plant-metabolite-microbe interactions in agricultural soils.

2026 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics promote soil nitrification and alter the composition of key nitrogen functional bacterial groups

Researchers found that polyethylene and PVC microplastics in soil increased nitrification (a key step in the nitrogen cycle) and changed the composition of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These changes could affect soil fertility and the availability of nutrients for crops. The study highlights how microplastic contamination in agricultural soil may have hidden effects on food production by altering fundamental soil processes.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Sub-micron microplastics affect nitrogen cycling by altering microbial abundance and activities in a soil-legume system

Researchers found that very small (sub-micron) polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in soil significantly altered nitrogen cycling by changing the abundance and activity of bacteria around soybean roots. While the microplastics did not affect plant growth directly, they increased nitrogen uptake and shifted the balance of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These hidden changes to soil chemistry could have long-term effects on agricultural productivity and the nutritional quality of crops.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 45 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic bacteria on peanuts under the combined pollution of cadmium and microplastics

Researchers tested whether beneficial soil fungi and bacteria could help peanut plants cope with combined contamination from cadmium and microplastics. They found that the microbial treatment effectively trapped cadmium in the plant roots, preventing it from moving into the shoots and edible parts. The study suggests that harnessing natural soil microbes could be a practical strategy for growing safer food in polluted farmland.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Negative effects of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics on Arabidopsis and its root-associated microbiome

Researchers found that the biodegradable plastic PBAT had greater inhibitory effects on Arabidopsis growth than conventional LDPE microplastics, disrupting photosynthesis and altering root-associated microbial communities in ways that suggest biodegradable plastics are not necessarily safer for soil ecosystems.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 149 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics affect soybean rhizosphere microbial composition and function during vegetative and reproductive stages

Researchers conducted a 70-day greenhouse experiment to evaluate how four types of microplastics affect soybean rhizosphere bacterial communities in two soil types. The study found that polyamide microplastics consistently altered bacterial diversity and nitrogen cycling functions, while other plastic types had shorter-term effects, suggesting that different microplastics pose varying risks to agricultural soil microbial ecosystems.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Negative effects of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics on Arabidopsis and its root-associated microbiome

Researchers investigated the effects of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) biodegradable microplastics on Arabidopsis thaliana and its root-associated microbiome, finding that PBAT-MPs at tested concentrations in agricultural soil caused negative impacts on plant growth and altered the composition of root-zone microbial communities.

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

LDPE microplastics affect soil microbial communities and nitrogen cycling

Researchers found that adding polyethylene microplastics to soil changed the bacterial communities and disrupted the nitrogen cycle, which is essential for soil fertility and plant growth. Microplastics increased the activity of certain nitrogen-processing genes while decreasing others, shifting the balance of nutrient cycling. These changes in soil function could ultimately affect crop health and the quality of food grown in microplastic-contaminated agricultural land.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 404 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic alters soybean microbiome across rhizocompartments level and symbiosis via flavonoid-mediated pathways

Researchers applied polypropylene and polyethylene nanoplastics to soybean growing conditions and found that the particles altered soil chemistry, changed bacterial communities, and unexpectedly accelerated root nodule formation and nitrogen-fixing activity at lower doses. The effects varied by plastic type, with polyethylene nanoplastics having a stronger impact on soil enzyme activity. The study reveals that nanoplastic pollution can reshape the soil microbiome and influence how plants form beneficial partnerships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

2025 Frontiers in Plant Science 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) growth to soil contaminated with microplastics

A pot experiment adding LDPE and biodegradable (PLA/PBAT) microplastics to soil at 0.5–2.5% by weight found no significant effects on common bean shoot or root biomass, though higher LDPE concentrations increased specific root nodules, suggesting subtle effects on nitrogen-fixing symbiosis.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 341 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil C-N and microbial community were altered by polybutylene adipate terephthalate microplastics

Researchers investigated how biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) microplastics affect soil carbon, nitrogen, and microbial communities in soils planted with soybean and maize. The study found that PBAT microplastics significantly altered dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen levels, increased microbial biomass, and shifted bacterial and fungal community composition, suggesting that even biodegradable microplastics may disrupt soil nutrient cycling in plant-specific ways.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the combined impacts of microplastics and nickel oxide nanomaterials on soybean growth and nitrogen fixation potential

This study tested how polystyrene microplastics and nickel oxide nanoparticles affect soybean growth and nitrogen fixation in soil. Microplastics alone reduced photosynthesis, plant hormones, and the beneficial root bacteria that help plants capture nitrogen from the air. While this is a plant and soil study, it demonstrates how microplastics can disrupt agricultural ecosystems that humans depend on for food production.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into soil microbial assemblages and nitrogen cycling function responses to conventional and biodegradable microplastics

Researchers compared how biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional PVC microplastics affect soil bacteria and nitrogen cycling processes. They found that both types of microplastics altered microbial communities, but biodegradable plastics had distinct effects on nitrogen-processing bacteria and did not simply behave as a harmless alternative. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable plastics may change rather than eliminate the impact of microplastic contamination on soil health.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastic and soil nitrogen dynamics: Unraveling the links between functional genes, microbial communities, and transformation processes

Researchers conducted a six-month experiment to understand how polyethylene microplastics in soil affect nitrogen cycling, a process critical for soil fertility and plant nutrition. They found that while total nitrogen levels stayed stable, microplastics significantly altered the forms of nitrogen present by increasing ammonium and nitrate while decreasing dissolved organic nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastics reshape soil microbial communities and their nitrogen-processing activities, potentially disrupting the natural nutrient balance in agricultural soils.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying the Effect of Dietary Microplastics on the Potential for Biological Uptake of Environmental Contaminants and Polymer Additives

This study quantified the effect of dietary microplastics on the potential for biological nitrogen fixation in soil systems, finding that MP ingestion by soil organisms disrupted gut microbiome function and reduced rates of nitrogen fixation relevant to soil fertility.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Coexistence of microplastics and Cd alters soil N transformation by affecting enzyme activity and ammonia oxidizer abundance

Researchers studied how the combined presence of microplastics and cadmium in soil affects nitrogen cycling, a process essential for soil fertility. They found that the pollutant mixture altered enzyme activity and shifted the balance of ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities more than either contaminant alone. The findings suggest that co-contamination of soils with microplastics and heavy metals could disrupt nutrient cycles critical for plant growth.

2023 Environmental Pollution 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the soil-soybean system: A perspective on rhizosphere microbial community and soil element cycling

This study compared how conventional polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable alternatives (PBAT and PLA) affect soil bacteria and nutrient cycling in soybean fields. The biodegradable microplastics actually caused more harm to soybean growth than conventional ones, reducing shoot biomass by up to 34% and disrupting nitrogen availability in soil. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always better for the environment and raises questions about their impact on agricultural productivity and food security.

2024 Environment International 72 citations