Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

[Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Growth, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Canopy Temperature Characteristics of Chinese Cabbage Pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.)].

Hydroponic experiments showed that polystyrene microplastics at 100 nm and 1,000 nm sizes significantly inhibited the growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient quality of Chinese cabbage while increasing oxidative stress markers and elevating leaf temperature. These findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination poses a direct threat to crop production and food quality, with potential implications for human dietary exposure through contaminated vegetables.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on the Growth and Quality of Brassica campestris L. in a Three-season Consecutive Cultivation].

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of four particle size fractions (under 25, 25-48, 48-150, and 150-850 micrometers) affect the growth, development, and nutrient quality of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L.) across three consecutive cultivation seasons in pot experiments, finding significant size-dependent inhibitory effects on plant growth and soil nutrient supply.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of different source microplastics with different particle sizes and application rates on soil properties and growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.)

Researchers tested how two types of microplastics at different sizes and concentrations affect soil properties and the growth of Chinese cabbage. They found that smaller particles at higher concentrations altered soil enzyme activity and reduced plant growth, though the effects depended on the specific plastic type. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could meaningfully impact crop productivity and soil health.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 154 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Different Mulch Types on Farmland Soil Moisture in an Artificial Oasis Area

Not relevant to microplastics — this study compares how different mulch materials (including conventional polyethylene plastic films) affect soil moisture retention in an arid farming region of China, focusing on water management rather than plastic fragmentation or microplastic contamination.

2023 Land 11 citations
Article Tier 2

The toxicological effect on pak choi of co-exposure to degradable and non-degradable microplastics with oxytetracycline in the soil

This study tested how microplastics and the antibiotic oxytetracycline, both common contaminants in farmland soil, affect pak choi (a leafy vegetable). Both types of microplastics harmed root growth, photosynthesis, and plant metabolism, and surprisingly, biodegradable PLA microplastics caused more damage than conventional polyethylene ones. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could reduce crop quality and nutritional value, with so-called eco-friendly plastics potentially being worse for plants.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural Aging Intensifies Microplastic Phytotoxicity in Brassica chinensis

Researchers compared the effects of pristine and naturally aged polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics on Chinese cabbage growth and soil health over a 45-day experiment. They found that aged microplastics with oxidized surfaces caused significantly more plant damage, reducing biomass and chlorophyll content more than their pristine counterparts. The study suggests that as microplastics weather in agricultural soils, they may become increasingly harmful to crops.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Stress of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics on pakchoi(Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) and soil bacteria: Biochar mitigation

Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on pakchoi (a leafy vegetable) and found that both types harmed plant growth and disrupted soil bacteria. Adding biochar to the soil helped reduce these negative effects, suggesting it could be a practical way to protect crops from microplastic contamination in agricultural settings.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Natural Aging IntensifiesMicroplastic Phytotoxicityin Brassica chinensis

Researchers compared pristine and artificially aged polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics applied to pak choi (Brassica chinensis) in soil over 45 days. Aged MPs with oxidised surfaces caused stronger phytotoxicity than pristine MPs, reducing plant biomass and disrupting soil enzyme activity, demonstrating that environmental weathering worsens MP impacts on crops.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

The effects of microplastics on crop variation depend on polymer types and their interactions with soil nutrient availability and weed competition

Researchers investigated how different types of microplastics interact with soil nutrient availability and weed competition to affect crop growth. The study found that the effects of microplastics on plant performance depend on the polymer type and are modulated by fertilization levels and competition from weeds, suggesting that real-world agricultural impacts of microplastic pollution may be more complex than laboratory studies indicate.

2024 Plant Biology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in organic farming development cannot be ignored in China: Perspective of commercial organic fertilizer

Researchers found that commercial organic fertilizers used across China contain high levels of microplastics, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of particles per kilogram, with most being very small particles under 100 micrometers. After five years of fertilizer application, enormous quantities of microplastics are predicted to accumulate in orchard soils. This means that organic farming, often considered the healthier choice, may actually be introducing significant microplastic contamination into food-producing soil.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined effect of polyethylene microplastics (virgin and naturally aged) and cadmium on pakchoi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) under different growth stages

Researchers examined the single and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on pakchoi vegetables at different growth stages. The study found that naturally aged microplastics had different effects than virgin ones, and that the combination of microplastics and cadmium could worsen oxidative stress and nutrient disruption in plants, particularly during early growth.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of composite microplastics on soil properties and the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Chinese cabbage

A pot experiment exposing Chinese cabbage to combinations of polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, and polyolefin microplastics found that composite microplastic mixtures altered soil properties and disrupted plant physiological and biochemical processes more than individual plastics alone.

2025 Ecotoxicology
Article Tier 2

[Effect of Organic Fertilizers on the Accumulation and Distribution of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Cotton Plants].

This pot experiment found that cotton plants absorb polystyrene nanoplastics through their roots and transport them into stems, but adding organic fertilizer reduced the amount transferred upward, with most nanoplastics retained in roots. While nanoplastics alone reduced plant growth indicators, organic fertilizer partially offset these negative effects. The results suggest that organic soil amendments could help reduce the uptake and spread of nanoplastics in food crops, which has implications for agricultural food safety.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Transport Dynamics and Physiological Responses of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safety and Environmental Health

Researchers tracked fluorescently labeled nanoplastics as they traveled through pakchoi (a leafy green vegetable), entering through the roots, moving up through the plant's water-transport system, and accumulating in the leaves. The nanoplastics caused oxidative damage and disrupted plant hormones, demonstrating a clear pathway by which plastic pollution in soil could enter the human food supply through everyday vegetables.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable microplastics reduce the effectiveness of biofertilizers by altering rhizospheric microecological functions

Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics from PBAT mulch films significantly reduced the growth-promoting effects of biofertilizers on Chinese cabbage, cutting above-ground biomass by up to 53%. The microplastics altered soil enzyme activity, increased organic carbon levels, and reshaped the bacterial communities in the root zone. The study suggests that accumulation of biodegradable plastic residues in agricultural soils could undermine the effectiveness of biofertilizer-based farming strategies.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 18 citations
Review Tier 2

Unveiling the effect of microplastics on agricultural crops – a review

This review examines how microplastics affect agricultural crops, covering impacts on seed germination, root growth, photosynthesis, and overall plant health. Most studies focused on polystyrene and polyethylene under controlled lab conditions, and the effects varied widely depending on plastic type, size, and concentration. The authors stress that more field-based research is needed to understand how microplastics actually behave in real farming environments.

2023 International Journal of Phytoremediation 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro/Nanoplastics in plantation agricultural products: behavior process, phytotoxicity under biotic and abiotic stresses, and controlling strategies

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics from sources like plastic mulch and wastewater contaminate agricultural crops, harming plant growth, photosynthesis, and food quality. The findings matter for human health because these plastic particles can accumulate in the fruits and vegetables we eat, carrying toxic chemicals along with them into our diet.

2025 Journal of Nanobiotechnology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Organic Fertilizer Mixed with Food Waste Dry Powder on the Growth of Chinese Cabbage Seedlings

Adding food waste dry powder to bio-fertilizer mixtures at 30% concentration was tested on Chinese cabbage seedlings. Results showed effects on growth, chlorophyll, and mineral content, with implications for sustainable use of food waste in agriculture.

2021 Environments 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel insights related to soil microplastic abundance and vegetable microplastic contamination

Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in farmland soils and the vegetables grown in them, finding that polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common plastic types in soil. Chinese cabbage had the highest vegetable contamination levels, and there was a moderate correlation between soil and vegetable microplastic concentrations. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastics in agricultural soil can transfer into the food crops people eat.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in organic fertilizers in China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers across China, finding widespread plastic particles in compost, manure, and biosolids, identifying fertilizer application as an emerging pathway for microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 129 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport Dynamicsand Physiological Responses ofPolystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safetyand Environmental Health

Researchers tracked the transport and physiological responses of polystyrene nanoplastics in pakchoi (bok choy) plants, finding that nanoplastics were absorbed through roots and translocated to shoots where they disrupted chlorophyll production and reduced plant growth.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Effects of different mulch materials on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and soil water use efficiency of wheat in Loess tableland

Not relevant to microplastics — this agricultural study compares different mulching materials (including plastic film) on wheat yield and water use efficiency in the Loess Plateau of China, with no focus on microplastic pollution from plastic mulch.

2023 Scientific Reports 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) to microplastic pollution

PVC microplastics of two different size ranges had contrasting effects on lettuce roots, with smaller particles stimulating root growth and larger particles having no effect, and smaller particles also reduced photosynthetic efficiency at moderate concentrations. The study suggests that microplastic size is a key variable determining whether effects on crops are stimulatory or inhibitory.

2020 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Multifaceted effects of microplastics on soil-plant systems: Exploring the role of particle type and plant species

Researchers tested how three different types of microplastics — fibers, fragments, and spheres — affect soil properties and vegetable growth. The effects varied significantly depending on both the type of plastic and the plant species, with some microplastics actually promoting root growth in certain vegetables. These mixed results highlight that the impact of microplastic contamination on food crops is complex and depends on the specific conditions in each field.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations