Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Response of Strawberry Fruit Yield, Soil Chemical and Microbial Properties to Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation with Biochar and Rice Bran

Not relevant to microplastics research; this paper evaluates anaerobic soil disinfestation using rice bran and biochar to control soil-borne fungal pathogens and improve strawberry yields, with no connection to microplastic pollution.

2023 Agriculture 10 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on the Growth and Physiology Characteristics of Strawberry].

Researchers investigated the effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on the growth and physiology of strawberry plants, examining impacts on soil characteristics, enzyme activity, and nutrient availability to provide a comprehensive assessment of microplastic toxicity in agricultural settings.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

From the rhizosphere to plant fitness: Implications of microplastics soil pollution

Researchers exposed strawberry plants to low-density polyethylene microplastics in soil and found significant harm, including reduced chlorophyll levels, altered nutrient uptake, and increased stress responses. The microplastics also shifted the soil microbiome toward potentially harmful fungi and bacteria. These findings show that microplastics in agricultural soil can damage crop health and change the microbial community that plants depend on.

2024 Environmental and Experimental Botany 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural mulching and fungicides—impacts on fungal biomass, mycotoxin occurrence, and soil organic matter decomposition

Researchers studied how plastic mulch and straw soil coverings affect the fate of fungicides applied to crops, finding that plastic mulch reduced fungicide entry into soil and altered soil fungal communities. The study highlights how plastic agricultural practices create complex interactions with other chemicals, including effects on microorganisms important for soil health.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Silicon regulates microplastic-induced phytotoxicity and its detoxification mechanism: A plant-microbe perspective

Researchers investigated whether silicon supplements could protect kale from the harmful effects of polyethylene microplastics in soil. They found that silicon increased plant biomass by 16-25% and reversed microplastic-induced suppression of soil enzymes, while also promoting beneficial soil bacteria. The study suggests that silicon could be a practical strategy for improving crop resilience in microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 1 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in the agricultural soil—mitigation strategies, heavy metals contamination, and impact on human health: a review

This review examines how microplastics contaminate agricultural soil through plastic mulch, irrigation water, and fertilizers, then alter soil chemistry, harm beneficial microorganisms, and reduce crop productivity. The authors highlight that microplastics can accumulate in crops and enter the human food chain, posing risks to food safety and human health, particularly through daily food and water consumption.

2024 Plant Cell Reports 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic mulching in agriculture. Trading short-term agronomic benefits for long-term soil degradation?

This study examined plastic mulch use in agriculture, arguing that short-term crop benefits come with long-term costs as mulch fragments accumulate in soil as microplastics and disrupt soil structure, biology, and water dynamics.

2016 The Science of The Total Environment 1452 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil Health and Quality in Sustainable Agriculture

This paper is not about microplastics; it is a broad review of soil health and quality principles in sustainable agriculture.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics in soils: impacts on agriculture and food

This work reviews the impacts of plastic pollution in soils on agricultural productivity and food safety, examining how plastic particles and associated chemicals affect soil health, crop growth, and food quality. The publication is part of the international scientific literature on plastic contamination of agricultural systems.

2024 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Effect of emerging contaminants on soil microbial community composition, soil enzyme activity, and strawberry plant growth in polyethylene microplastic-containing soils

Researchers found that emerging contaminants altered soil microbial community composition and enzyme activity, but these effects were suppressed when HDPE microplastics were also present in the soil, suggesting microplastics may modulate how soils respond to chemical contaminants.

2023 Environmental Science Advances 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microbial inoculants combined with maize straw on physicochemical properties and microbial community structure in black soil during soybean growth

This paper is not about microplastics; it examines how combining microbial inoculants with maize straw as a soil amendment improves soybean yield and soil microbial diversity.

2023
Article Tier 2

Selection of Suitable Organic Amendments to Balance Agricultural Economic Benefits and Carbon Sequestration

Researchers evaluated organic soil amendments for balancing agricultural productivity with soil health, finding that amendment type and application rate affect nutrient cycling, microbial activity, and the potential for microplastic introduction via compost or sludge.

2024 Plants 5 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

Optimizing Microbial Composition in Soil Macroaggregates Enhances Nitrogen Supply Through Long-Term Straw Return

Despite its title referencing soil nitrogen and straw return, this paper studies how long-term agricultural straw incorporation affects microbial communities and nitrogen cycling within soil aggregates — not microplastic pollution. It examines bacterial and fungal biodiversity changes in soil over 13 years and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Agronomy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics in agriculture—A potential source of soil and groundwater contamination?

Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics (tiny plastic fragments) contaminate agricultural soils and can migrate through the soil into groundwater, potentially carrying pesticides and other chemicals with them. They conclude that current analytical tools are inadequate and that plastic fragmentation in soils is a poorly understood but serious threat to drinking water supplies.

2022 Grundwasser 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic boost or health risk? The dual impact of organic amendments in agriculture

This review examined the dual impact of organic amendments on agricultural soils, discussing how compost and sludge applications simultaneously boost fertility and introduce microplastics and chemical contaminants, requiring careful risk-benefit assessment.

2024 International Journal of Research in Agronomy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro/Nanoplastics in Agricultural Soils and Associated Hazard

This review surveys the sources, distribution, and hazards of micro- and nanoplastics in agricultural soils, with particular attention to how MPs interact with soil organisms, alter nutrient availability, and accumulate in crops in ways that threaten both soil health and food safety.

2025
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics alter root functionality and affect strawberry plant physiology and fruit quality traits

Strawberry plants grown in soil with small polyethylene microplastics (35 micrometers) produced fruit that weighed 42% less and had lower sugar and antioxidant content. The tiny plastic particles stuck to roots and disrupted the plant's water uptake, leading to reduced photosynthesis and increased root stress. These findings raise concerns about how microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect the quality and nutritional value of the food we eat.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 30 citations
Article Tier 2

A New Approachfor Remediating Polyethylene MicroplasticsPollution in Agricultural Soils: The Combined Effects of CompoundMicrobial Agent

Researchers developed a compound microbial agent capable of degrading polyethylene microplastics and tested it in honeydew melon and eggplant fields, finding it reduced soil microplastic levels while also improving plant growth and overall soil health.

2025 Figshare