Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics Influence Phosphate Adsorption in Volcanic Ash Soil

Researchers found that adding polyethylene microplastics to volcanic ash soil slightly increased the soil's ability to hold phosphorus but also made phosphorus easier to wash away, potentially reducing its availability to plants. This suggests microplastic contamination in farmland soils could quietly alter nutrient cycling in ways that affect crop growth.

2025 Journal of soil science and plant nutrition 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastic properties and dissolved organic matter on phosphorus availability in soil and aqueous mediums

Researchers studied how different types of microplastics from agricultural mulching films affect phosphorus availability in soil and water. They found that both conventional plastics like polyethylene and biodegradable plastics like polylactic acid significantly reduced available phosphorus in soil, with smaller and more concentrated particles causing the greatest reductions. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils may impair nutrient availability for crops.

2023 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Short-term effects of polyethene and polypropylene microplastics on soil phosphorus and nitrogen availability

Researchers examined the short-term effects of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on soil nutrient cycling, finding that these particles can alter the availability of phosphorus and nitrogen depending on microplastic size and fertilization conditions.

2021 Chemosphere 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Discrepant effects of microplastics on soil phosphorus availability under different phosphorus fertilizer applications

Researchers studied how polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics interact with different types of phosphorus fertilizers in soil over 56 days. They found that microplastics reduced the amount of plant-available phosphorus in organically fertilized soils by up to 29%, while increasing it in soils treated with mineral fertilizer. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in farmland could alter how effectively crops access essential nutrients depending on the fertilizer type used.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Research on the Effect of Microplastics on Phosphorus in Soil and Water Environment

This review synthesizes research on how microplastics interact with phosphorus in soil and water environments, finding that adsorption capacity varies with particle size and polymer type, that aging increases adsorption, and that microplastic-phosphorus complexes alter phosphorus migration and bioavailability in ecosystems.

2025 Scientific and Social Research
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Insight into the transformation of phosphorus in soil affected by microplastics: A review

This meta-analysis found that microplastics significantly decrease phosphorus availability in soil by 7-56%, driven by particle characteristics, soil properties, and exposure duration. Microplastics alter phosphorus cycling through adsorption, changes in soil chemistry, shifts in microbial communities, and modified phosphatase activity, with implications for farmland fertility management.

2025 Environmental Research
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Effects of microplastics pollution on plant and soil phosphorus: A meta-analysis

Across 781 observations from 73 studies, microplastics significantly reduced plant phosphorus uptake and soil available phosphorus while increasing soil phosphorus leaching. Biodegradable microplastics caused stronger negative effects on soil phosphorus than conventional plastics, and impacts worsened with higher concentrations and longer exposure times.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Contamination on Phosphorus Availability, Alkaline Phosphatase Activity, and Polymer Degradation in Soil

Researchers studied how different types of microplastics at various concentrations affect phosphorus availability and enzyme activity in soil. They found that microplastics altered phosphorus cycling both by directly supplying phosphorus in some cases and by changing microbial enzyme function. The study suggests that microplastic contamination could disrupt soil nutrient dynamics important for maintaining agricultural productivity.

2025 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Size and concentration-dependent effects of polyethylene microplastics on soil chemistry in a microcosm study

Researchers tested how polyethylene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations affect soil chemistry in a controlled lab setting. They found that the smallest microplastic particles reduced the soil's ability to hold nutrients by nearly 13% and altered dissolved organic matter, while also leaching phthalate chemicals into the soil. The study suggests that as microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils, they could impair important soil functions related to nutrient retention and pollutant movement.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and absorption characteristics of sweet potato in response to polyethylene microplastic

Researchers conducted pot, liquid adsorption, and fluorescence experiments to assess how normal and aged polyethylene microplastics affect soil physicochemical properties, growth, and phosphorus and potassium absorption in sweet potato, finding that 5 micrometre normal PE microplastics significantly reduced soil pH and elevated electrical conductivity.

2024
Article Tier 2

Microplastics lag the leaching of phenanthrene in soil and reduce its bioavailability to wheat

Researchers found that polystyrene, polyethylene, and PVC microplastics delayed the downward leaching of phenanthrene through soil by adsorbing the contaminant, reducing its bioavailability to wheat, with adsorption capacity following the order PS > PE > PVC.

2021 Environmental Pollution 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the impact of microplastics on triphenyl phosphate adsorption in soil: Insights into environmental factors and soil properties

This study examined how microplastics in soil affect the behavior of triphenyl phosphate, a common flame retardant chemical. Environmental conditions like UV light and soil acidity changed how much of the chemical stuck to the microplastics, altering its movement through soil. The findings matter because microplastics can act as carriers for toxic chemicals in agricultural soil, potentially moving them into groundwater or crops that people consume.

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

ConventionalandBiodegradable Microplastics BothImpair Soil Phosphorus Cycling and Availability via Microbial Suppression

This 150-day soil incubation study compared how conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics affect microbially-mediated phosphorus cycling. Both MP types suppressed phosphorus-cycling microbial activity, reducing soil phosphorus availability — with biodegradable PLA showing comparable disruption to conventional PE.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Effect of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on Bacterial Community and Nutrient Status in Two Agricultural Soils

Polyvinyl chloride microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations did not broadly alter bacterial diversity in two agricultural soils over 35 days, but did significantly change available phosphorus levels and shifted the abundance of specific bacterial genera. The results suggest that microplastic pollution can subtly reshape nutrient cycling and microbial community composition in farmland soils.

2020 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 228 citations
Article Tier 2

Sensitivity of the Transport of Plastic Nanoparticles to Typical Phosphates Associated with Ionic Strength and Solution pH

This study investigated how phosphate ions in soil pore water influence the transport of plastic nanoparticles through porous media under varying pH and ionic strength conditions. Phosphate affected nanoparticle surface charge and aggregation behavior, altering how far particles traveled. The findings are relevant to understanding how plastic nanoparticles move through soils and groundwater systems.

2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 5 citations
Article Tier 2

UV-degraded polyethylene exhibits variable charge and enhanced cation adsorption

Researchers found that UV degradation of polyethylene alters surface charge and significantly enhances cation adsorption capacity, suggesting that weathered microplastics entering soil create more reactive surfaces than virgin plastic particles.

2025 PLoS ONE
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-contamination can reshape plant community by affecting soil properties

Researchers investigated how polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics affect naturally germinated plant communities by altering soil properties. The study found that microplastics changed soil nutrient availability, decreased community stability, and shifted plant species composition, with total phosphorus identified as the strongest driver of changes in plant community structure.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 11 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Microplastic Pollution in Soils on The Uptake of Plant Nutrient Elements

A review study found that soil microplastic contamination interferes with plants' ability to absorb essential nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, with effects varying by plastic type, concentration, and particle size. This has direct implications for food security, as crops grown in microplastic-contaminated soils may suffer nutrient deficiencies even when adequate fertilizer is applied.

2026 Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi
Article Tier 2

Influence of polyethylene-microplastic on environmental behaviors of metals in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the adsorption, desorption, and bioavailability of heavy metals in soil. They found that adding microplastics altered how metals bind to soil particles and increased the mobility of certain metals like cadmium and lead. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in soils may change the environmental behavior of heavy metals, potentially increasing their availability to plants and soil organisms.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Conventional and Biodegradable Microplastics Both Impair Soil Phosphorus Cycling and Availability via Microbial Suppression

Researchers conducted a 150-day experiment comparing the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on soil phosphorus cycling. Both types of microplastics reduced available phosphorus by approximately 15% and suppressed key phosphorus-cycling bacteria and enzyme activity. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are environmentally benign, showing they disrupt soil nutrient cycles similarly to conventional plastics.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nutrient adsorption on microplastics in the aquatic environment

This study examines nutrient adsorption onto microplastics in aquatic environments, reviewing how both conventional and biodegradable plastic particles interact with nutrients following fragmentation driven by UV radiation, wave action, and mechanical abrasion.

2025 Repository of the University of Ljubljana (University of Ljubljana)
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

Effect of different microplastics on the mobilization of soil inorganic phosphorus by exomycorrhizal fungi

Researchers examined how different microplastic types affect soil inorganic phosphorus mobilization, finding that polymer type and particle size influence phosphorus release from soil minerals, with implications for nutrient cycling in plastic-contaminated soils.

2024 Global NEST Journal
Article Tier 2

Microplastics change the leaching of nitrogen and potassium in Mollisols

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics at varying concentrations and sizes altered the leaching of nitrogen and potassium in agricultural Mollisols, with effects depending on microplastic size and concentration thresholds, raising concerns about nutrient cycling disruption in plastic-contaminated farmland soils.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 12 citations