Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The occurrence and distributions characteristics of microplastics in soils of different land use patterns in Karst Plateau, Southwest China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination across five different land use types in a karst mountainous region of southwest China. The study found that all soil types were polluted with microplastics, with garden land showing the highest average abundance at 4,200 particles per kilogram, and that land use patterns and crop types influenced the characteristics and concentrations of microplastic contamination.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of soil structure and texture on occurrence of microplastics in agricultural soils of karst areas

Researchers found that soil texture is the dominant factor influencing microplastic abundance in karst agricultural soils in China, with powdered-light clay soils harboring the highest contamination at nearly 3,000 particles per kilogram.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 43 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence and distribution characteristics in mulched agricultural soils of Guizhou province

Researchers surveyed agricultural soils in the karst landscape of Guizhou province, China, to assess microplastic contamination from plastic mulch farming. They found microplastics were widespread, with fibers and fragments being the most common types, and that contamination levels varied with mulching history and soil characteristics. The study underscores how plastic mulch used in agriculture is a significant source of soil pollution in regions with unique geological features.

2024 Scientific Reports 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of the Stability of Soil Aggregates and Erodibility to Land Use Patterns in Wetland Ecosystems of Karst Plateau

This is not about microplastics — it is a soil science study examining how different land use patterns in Chinese karst plateau wetlands affect soil aggregate stability and erosion rates.

2024 Forests 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic alteration in agricultural soils across Europe: Comparative study of MPs inside and outside soil aggregates over two years

Researchers tracked microplastic aging inside and outside soil aggregates in European agricultural soils over two years, comparing fields in multiple countries. Microplastics enclosed within aggregates showed less physicochemical aging than surface-exposed particles, suggesting that aggregate formation can temporarily protect plastics from degradation and prolong their persistence in soil.

2025
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

Microplastics sequestered in the soil affect the turnover and stability of soil aggregates: A review

This review examines how microplastics trapped in soil affect the structure and stability of soil clumps (aggregates) that are essential for healthy farming. Microplastics create weak points in soil structure and alter its physical and chemical properties, which can reduce soil's ability to hold water and support plant growth. Since healthy soil aggregates are the foundation of productive farmland, microplastic contamination could threaten food production over the long term.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 48 citations
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

Microplastics trapped in soil aggregates of different land-use types: A case study of Loess Plateau terraces, China

Researchers measured microplastic abundance in soil aggregates from four land-use types on China's Loess Plateau, finding MPs trapped in aggregates across all land uses with farmland soils having the highest concentrations. Woodland soils had the lowest MP content and the most stable aggregate structure, suggesting land use substantially controls both MP accumulation and aggregate integrity.

2022 Environmental Pollution 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Can Inhibit Organic Carbon Mineralization by Influencing Soil Aggregate Distribution and Microbial Community Structure in Cultivated Soil: Evidence from a One-Year Pot Experiment

Researchers conducted a one-year pot experiment to study how different types and concentrations of microplastics affect soil carbon cycling and aggregate stability. They found that microplastics significantly altered soil aggregate size distribution and decreased organic carbon mineralization rates regardless of polymer type. The study suggests that microplastic contamination may slow the natural breakdown of organic carbon in agricultural soils by changing soil structure and microbial communities.

2024 Agronomy 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution pattern and risk assessment of microplastics contamination in different agricultural systems

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in agricultural soils across six sites in Coimbatore, India with distinct farming practices, finding microplastics in 81% of organic matter-removed samples. The study revealed that different agronomic inputs and land management practices produce distinct microplastic contamination profiles.

2024 International Journal of Environmental & Analytical Chemistry 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of soil microplastic pollution and influencing factors based on environmental fragility theory

Researchers mapped microplastic pollution and influencing factors across different ecologically fragile karst zones in Guizhou Province, China, finding that land use, soil properties, and ecosystem fragility all affect microplastic distribution in these sensitive landscapes.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence patterns and ecological implications of microplastic contamination in citrus orchard soils on Karst Sloping Terrains, South China

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in citrus orchard soils on karst terrain in South China and found an average concentration of 3,160 particles per kilogram, with levels increasing over years of cultivation. The microplastics had significant effects on soil microbial community structure and function, influencing both bacterial energy-sourcing and fungal nutritional strategies. The findings highlight the ecological risks of plastic accumulation in agriculturally important yet environmentally sensitive karst landscapes.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic effects on soil aggregation in sterilized and non-sterilized soils

Researchers tested how microplastics affect soil aggregate stability in both sterilized and non-sterilized soils, finding that microbial activity mediates much of the structural impact and that plastic type influences aggregation differently depending on soil biology.

2024
Article Tier 2

The association of microplastics with water-stable aggregates formed under controlled conditions

Researchers compiled data from a controlled study examining the association between microplastics and water-stable soil aggregates, providing the underlying dataset for the linked publication on microplastic-aggregate interactions.

2026 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Effects of land use and landscape on the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in soil, China

Researchers investigated how land use patterns affect microplastic contamination in soils across different agricultural, orchard, grassland, and woodland areas in Yunnan Province, China. Agricultural lands, especially those with greenhouses and traditional farming, had significantly higher microplastic levels than grasslands and woodlands, with fragments being the dominant shape. The study suggests that farming practices, including plastic mulch use and fertilizer application, are major contributors to soil microplastic pollution.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of the oversized microplastic pollution layer on soil aggregates and organic carbon at different soil depths

Researchers examined how oversized microplastic pollution layers in soil affect aggregate stability and organic carbon at different depths, finding that plastic films disrupted soil aggregate formation and altered carbon distribution, with effects varying by soil depth and plastic concentration.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 46 citations
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

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

Researchers compared microplastic particle abundance and depth distribution in agricultural soils under conventional tillage, minimum tillage, and no-till practices, finding that tillage intensity affected both total MP concentrations and the vertical mixing of particles through the soil profile.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Processes controlling the transportation of microplastics in agricultural soils

Researchers investigated the physical processes controlling microplastic transport through agricultural soils, examining how soil structure, water flow, bioturbation, and particle properties interact to move microplastics from surface application sites deeper into the soil profile or laterally toward aquatic systems. The study addressed the dual role of agricultural soils as both sinks and potential sources of microplastic pollution to surrounding environments.

2022
Article Tier 2

Differences, links, and roles of microbial and stoichiometric factors in microplastic distribution: A case study of five typical rice cropping regions in China

Researchers investigated microplastic distribution across five major rice-growing regions in China, finding that microbial community composition and soil stoichiometric factors like carbon-to-nitrogen ratios significantly influenced microplastic accumulation patterns in agricultural soils.

2022 Frontiers in Microbiology 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Incorporation into Soil in Agroecosystems

This study examined how microplastic particles are incorporated into soil in agricultural settings, finding that farming practices — particularly tillage and irrigation — facilitate microplastic mixing through the soil profile.

2017 Frontiers in Plant Science 660 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution modulated by farming regimes under multi-scenarios

Microplastic concentrations in agricultural soils were found to vary with farming regimes, with certain practices under mulching leading to higher accumulation. The study highlights how common agricultural methods contribute to soil microplastic pollution and supports calls for better plastic mulch management.

2025 iScience 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil contamination by microplastics in a small French agricultural watershed

Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in agricultural soils across a small French watershed, examining how various farming practices influence microplastic sources, distribution, and fate in soil environments outside of previously studied regions like China.

2025 Environmental Pollution