Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

How Valuable Are Organic Amendments as Tools for the Phytomanagement of Degraded Soils? The Knowns, Known Unknowns, and Unknowns

This review evaluates organic soil amendments — including sewage sludge, compost, and manure — as tools for restoring degraded soils, noting both benefits for soil health and risks from contaminant introduction. The discussion is relevant to microplastic research because many organic amendments are known vectors for microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.

2018 Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic matter and microplastics nexus: A comprehensive understanding of the synergistic impact on soil health

This review examines how microplastics and organic matter interact in soil, finding that common soil additions like compost and sewage sludge are significant sources of microplastic contamination. The interplay between these substances can disrupt nutrient cycling, soil biology, and carbon storage, which ultimately affects the quality of food grown in contaminated soil.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 10 citations
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

Organic amendments as vectors of micro and macro plastic pollution of terrestrial ecosystems

Researchers analyzed seven types of organic amendments commonly applied to farmland, including sewage sludge, manure, composts, and digestates, for microplastic contamination. They found microplastics in all samples, with sewage sludge containing the highest levels and a wide variety of polymer types. The study demonstrates that organic soil amendments are an important and underappreciated pathway through which both micro and macro plastics enter agricultural soils.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential Benefits and Risks for Soil Health Derived From the Use of Organic Amendments in Agriculture

This review examines the benefits and risks of using organic amendments like compost, manure, and sewage sludge in agriculture. Researchers highlight that while these amendments improve soil health and crop productivity, they can also introduce pollutants including heavy metals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and microplastics into agricultural soils. The study identifies sewage sludge as a particularly significant source of microplastic contamination in farmland and calls for strategies to mitigate these risks.

2019 Agronomy 284 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects and mechanism of microplastics on organic carbon and nitrogen cycling in agricultural soil: A review

This review summarizes how microplastic pollution in agricultural soils affects carbon and nitrogen cycling by altering soil properties, microbial communities, and enzymatic activity. Evidence indicates that microplastics can change organic matter degradation rates and nutrient cycling processes, with implications for soil health and agricultural productivity.

2023 Soil Use and Management 39 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

Impacts of Nano- and Microplastic Contamination on Soil Organisms and Soil–Plant Systems

Nano- and microplastic contamination was found to negatively affect soil organic matter dynamics and the activity of soil organisms. The research adds to growing evidence that plastic particles impair the biological processes that maintain soil health and fertility.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

From organic fertilizer to the soils: What happens to the microplastics? A critical review

This review traces how microplastics enter agricultural soil through organic fertilizers made from municipal waste, sewage sludge, and animal manure. During the composting process, the microplastics undergo physical and chemical changes that can make them better at absorbing other pollutants from the soil. The review highlights that applying organic fertilizer to farmland is a major but often overlooked pathway for microplastics to contaminate the food supply.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination of organic fertilisers applied to agricultural soils

This study examined microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers applied to agricultural soils, finding plastic particles in multiple fertilizer types. Organic fertilizers derived from sewage sludge or compost can introduce microplastics into farmland, potentially contaminating crops and groundwater.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and nanoplastics in soil: Sources, impacts, and solutions for soil health and environmental sustainability

This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics enter soil through farming activities, sewage sludge, and air deposition, and how they affect soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability. The tiny plastic particles can harm beneficial soil microorganisms and potentially enter the food chain through crops, raising concerns about long-term impacts on both soil health and human well-being.

2024 Journal of Environmental Quality 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil carbon cycling mediated by microplastics: Formation, mineralization, and sequestration

This review examines how microplastic pollution affects soil organic carbon cycling, covering direct participation in carbon processes and indirect effects on soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities. The authors synthesize mechanisms by which microplastics influence organic carbon formation, mineralization, and sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems.

2024 Scientia Sinica Technologica 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Organic Fertilizers and Bio-Waste for Sustainable Soil Management to Support Crops and Control Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Mediterranean Agroecosystems: A Review

This review examines how organic fertilizers and agricultural bio-waste can improve soil health, support crop growth, and help control greenhouse gas emissions in Mediterranean farming systems. While not directly about microplastics, the study is relevant because sewage-based composts and biochar used as fertilizers can introduce microplastic contamination into agricultural soils, creating a tradeoff between soil improvement and pollution.

2024 Horticulturae 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of soil microplastic pollution in climate change

This review examined the bidirectional relationship between soil microplastic pollution and climate change, exploring how microplastics affect soil carbon cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, and how climate factors influence microplastic behavior in soils.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Nano-microplastic and agro-ecosystems: a mini-review

This review examines the growing problem of micro- and nanoplastic contamination in agricultural ecosystems, where sources include plastic mulch films, organic waste amendments, and atmospheric deposition. The study suggests that these plastic particles negatively affect soil health, microbial communities, and plant development, raising concerns about long-term impacts on food production systems.

2023 Frontiers in Plant Science 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soil: Unveiling their role in shaping soil properties and driving greenhouse gas emissions

This review examines how microplastics in agricultural soils affect carbon and nitrogen cycles and alter greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers found that microplastics reduce soil water retention, decrease soil respiration, and increase emissions of carbon monoxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The study reveals that microplastic contamination in farmland may have broader climate implications by disrupting the soil processes that regulate greenhouse gas fluxes.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in the context of straw incorporation: A comparison with different types of soil

Researchers combined microplastic treatments with straw incorporation in different soil types and measured effects on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, finding that microplastics altered carbon cycling and in some soils increased CO2 and N2O emissions.

2021 Environmental Pollution 159 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in agricultural soils from mulch films and organic amendments: Transformation mechanism, soil-Biota toxicity, and future perspectives

This review examines how agricultural soils are becoming increasingly contaminated with microplastics from plastic mulch films and organic amendments like compost, with land-based contamination being 4 to 23 times higher than in water. Microplastics in farmland can harm soil organisms, disrupt soil structure, and enter the food chain through crops, posing potential risks to human health.

2025 Waste Management 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro and nano plastics (MNPs) in agricultural soils: challenges for food security and environmental health

This review examined how micro- and nanoplastics enter agricultural soils through sources like plastic mulch, wastewater irrigation, and sewage sludge, reaching concentrations of up to 10,000 particles per kilogram. The study found that these plastics impair plant nutrient absorption, photosynthesis, and growth, while also carrying toxic pollutants that can transfer through the food chain to humans.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural Soils Containing Micro/Nanoplastics and Related Risks

This review surveys micro- and nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils globally, examining input sources including plastic mulch films, irrigation water, sewage sludge, and compost, and assessing the risks MPs pose to soil organisms, plant growth, and food safety.

2025
Article Tier 2

Organic fertilizers as a vector of microplastics: A comprehensive review of sources, dispersion, and environmental consequences

This review synthesized evidence on how organic fertilizers — including sewage sludge and composts — act as vectors for microplastic transport into agricultural soils. The authors document how MPs from degraded plastics, textiles, and personal care products enter farming systems and affect soil health, plant growth, and the broader food chain.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics
Article Tier 2

Effect of different polymers of microplastics on soil organic carbon and nitrogen – A mesocosm experiment

Researchers found that adding polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics to agricultural soil altered carbon and nitrogen dynamics, with biodegradable microplastics having stronger effects on soil organic carbon decomposition and nutrient cycling than conventional plastics.

2021 Environmental Research 233 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: An Emerging Threat to Soil Health, Microbial Ecology, Crop Productivity, and Food Safety

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that these particles can disrupt soil microbial communities, harm plant health, and potentially enter the human food chain. The study highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to address this growing but often overlooked form of pollution in farmland.

2025 International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastics contamination and characteristics in organic soil amendments in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in organic soil amendments, including municipal compost and sewage sludge, used in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. They found microplastic concentrations ranging from about 2,000 to over 4,300 particles per kilogram, far exceeding levels in native soil. The study reveals that organic fertilizers, often considered eco-friendly alternatives, can be a significant source of microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.

2024 Heliyon 4 citations