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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Polylactic acid microplastics have stronger positive effects on the qualitative traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) than polyethylene microplastics: Evidence from a simulated field experiment
ClearUnveiling the detrimental effects of polylactic acid microplastics on rice seedlings and soil health
Researchers found that even biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics significantly harmed rice plants at high concentrations, reducing root and shoot weight by roughly half and disrupting photosynthesis, while also altering soil enzyme activity and bacterial communities. These findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to agriculture and raise questions about their impact on food crops that humans depend on.
Effects of different microplastics on the physicochemical properties and microbial diversity of rice rhizosphere soil
Researchers compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics, both fresh and aged, affect rice paddy soil properties and microbial communities. They found that aged microplastics had stronger effects than fresh ones, altering soil pH, nutrient availability, and the composition of root-associated bacteria. The study warns that biodegradable plastics are not necessarily safer for soil health than conventional plastics, especially as they break down over time.
Investigation of the effects of polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations on the plant-soil-microbiota system: A two-year field trial
Researchers conducted a two-year field trial to study how polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations affect crops, soil, and microbial communities in a rice-wheat rotation system. They found that microplastics did not harm wheat growth but actually increased rice grain weight and plant height, while reducing soil nutrient levels including nitrogen and phosphorus. The study reveals that microplastics can alter soil bacterial communities and disrupt metabolic processes in ways that differ between crop seasons.
Characteristics of biofilms on polylactic acid microplastics and their inhibitory effects on the growth of rice seedlings: A comparative study of petroleum-based microplastics
Researchers compared the effects of bio-based polylactic acid microplastics to conventional petroleum-based microplastics on rice seedling growth. They found that the bio-based particles actually caused more harm, attracting microorganisms that competed with the seedlings for nutrients and disrupting chlorophyll production. The study suggests that switching to bio-based plastics may not eliminate the agricultural risks posed by microplastic pollution.
Microplastics affect rice (Oryza sativa L.) quality by interfering metabolite accumulation and energy expenditure pathways: A field study
Researchers conducted a field study examining how polystyrene microplastics affect rice grain quality at the molecular level using metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. They found that microplastic exposure interfered with metabolite accumulation and energy pathways in the rice plants, ultimately reducing grain quality. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can directly compromise the nutritional quality of a major food crop.
Impact of microplastics from polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films on rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Researchers studied how microplastics from both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films affect rice growth. Both types of microplastics reduced plant height and weight, caused oxidative stress, inhibited photosynthesis, and altered gene expression related to nutrient uptake. This study is important because it shows that even biodegradable plastics can harm food crops, raising concerns about the quality and safety of rice grown in microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil.
Microplastics have rice cultivar-dependent impacts on grain yield and quality, and nitrogenous gas losses from paddy, but not on soil properties
A pot experiment with different rice cultivars found that polyethylene microplastics affected grain yield, quality, and nitrogen cycling in a cultivar-dependent manner, indicating that genetic background modulates plant sensitivity to microplastic contamination. The findings have implications for agricultural management in regions where microplastic-contaminated soils are common.
Size-dependent effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the quality of rice grains and the metabolism mechanism
Researchers found that tiny polystyrene plastic particles (under 100 nanometers) were absorbed by rice roots and traveled up into the grain, reducing protein content by up to 29%. The smallest particles weakened the plant's natural defenses by disrupting sugar metabolism. This means microplastics in soil could be silently lowering the nutritional quality of rice that people eat.
Investigating the Impact of Microplastics Type of Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polystyrene on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Rice Plants
Researchers investigated how three common types of microplastics, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, affect rice seed germination and early seedling growth. They found that microplastic exposure altered root development and shoot growth, with the effects varying by polymer type. The study raises concerns about how microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils could affect staple crop establishment and food production.
From biodegradation to biohazard: Polylactic acid microplastics induced rice growth inhibition in agroecosystems
Researchers tested the effects of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a type marketed as biodegradable, on rice growth in soil. They found that PLA microplastics inhibited rice development by reducing nitrogen availability, disrupting root bacteria, and releasing potentially harmful breakdown products. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may not be as environmentally safe as assumed, particularly in agricultural settings.
Microplastics change the safe production ability of arsenic-stressed rice (Oryza sativa L.) by regulating the antioxidant capacity, arsenic absorption, and distribution in rice
Researchers studied how polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics interact with arsenic contamination to affect rice growth and food safety. They found that the type of microplastic influenced how arsenic accumulated in different parts of the rice plant, with some combinations increasing arsenic levels in the edible grain. The findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination in agricultural soils altering how toxic metals are taken up by food crops.
Effects of microplastics on cadmium accumulation by rice and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in cadmium-contaminated soil
Researchers studied how three types of microplastics interact with cadmium contamination in rice paddies, examining effects on plant growth, metal uptake, and soil fungal communities. They found that while microplastics generally increased cadmium availability in soil, they actually decreased cadmium accumulation in rice tissues. Notably, biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics caused more harm to plant growth and soil communities than conventional plastic types, challenging the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer.
Discrepant responses of bacterial community and enzyme activities to conventional and biodegradable microplastics in paddy soil
Researchers compared the soil effects of conventional polypropylene microplastics versus biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics in rice paddy soil over 41 days. Both types altered soil chemistry and bacterial communities, but they had different effects on enzyme activity, with PLA causing distinct changes to carbon and nitrogen cycling. This matters because biodegradable plastics, often assumed to be safer, still release microplastics that affect soil health and potentially food crops.
Mechanistic insight into interactive effect of microplastics and arsenic on growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and soil health indicators
Researchers tested how different types of microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice paddy soil, finding that biodegradable PLA microplastics actually increased arsenic uptake by rice plants by up to 39%. In contrast, conventional polyethylene microplastics slightly reduced arsenic absorption. This is an important finding because as agriculture shifts toward biodegradable plastics, they may inadvertently increase the transfer of toxic heavy metals from soil into food crops.
Effect of High-Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride and Low-Density Polyethylene Microplastics on Seeding of Paddy
This study tested how three common types of plastic microparticles affect rice seedling growth, finding that they can interfere with early plant development. The results matter for food safety because rice is a staple crop for billions of people, and microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect crop yields and potentially introduce plastic particles into the food supply.
Effects of different size polylactic acid on arsenic migration and rhizosphere microorganisms in soil-rice system
Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA), a common biodegradable microplastic, increased the availability of toxic arsenic in rice paddies by changing soil chemistry and promoting bacteria that convert arsenic into more dangerous forms. Nano-sized PLA particles were particularly harmful, promoting arsenic uptake into rice plants, while larger particles actually blocked it. This study is important for food safety because it shows that even biodegradable plastics in agricultural soil can increase toxic contamination in rice, a staple food for billions of people.
Effects of Microplastics on the Mineral Elements Absorption and Accumulation in Hydroponic Rice Seedlings (Oryza sativa L.)
Researchers exposed rice seedlings to different concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in hydroponic conditions and measured the effects on mineral nutrient absorption. They found that while microplastics did not affect shoot growth, they significantly altered the uptake and distribution of essential mineral elements in the plants. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings could disrupt crop nutrition even without visible growth impacts.
Effects of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics on plant growth and bacterial community in the soil
Researchers compared the effects of regular polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on soybean growth and soil bacteria. Surprisingly, the biodegradable microplastics caused more harm than conventional ones, significantly reducing root growth and altering soil bacterial communities important for nitrogen fixation. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment and raises questions about their impact on food crops.
Biodegradable microplastics decreased plant-derived and increased microbial-derived carbon formation in soil: a two-year field trial
A two-year field experiment compared the effects of conventional (polypropylene) and biodegradable (polylactic acid, PLA) microplastics on soil carbon cycling in agricultural soil. Researchers found that while neither plastic type changed total soil carbon levels, PLA microplastics significantly reduced plant-derived carbon (lignin) by 32% while boosting microbial-derived carbon, suggesting that "biodegradable" plastics still meaningfully alter soil biology and chemistry. This matters because it challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally benign once they break down in farmland.
[Effects of Polylactic Acid Microplastics （PLA-MPs） on Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities of Wheat Rhizosphere Soil].
Researchers investigated how polylactic acid microplastics affect wheat rhizosphere soil and found that they significantly altered soil chemistry, increasing phosphorus and organic matter while decreasing total nitrogen and pH. The microplastics also reduced the richness and diversity of soil microorganisms, with larger particles and higher concentrations causing the greatest disruption. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can meaningfully reshape soil microbial communities and nutrient cycling in agricultural settings.