Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Bamboo charcoal affects soil properties and bacterial community in tea plantations

Researchers found that bamboo charcoal application improved soil physicochemical properties and shifted bacterial community structure in tea plantations, with optimal effects observed at specific application rates that enhanced enzyme activity.

2023 Open Life Sciences 11 citations
Review Tier 2

Phytoremediation of Co-Contaminated Environments: A Review of Microplastic and Heavy Metal/Organic Pollutant Interactions and Plant-Based Removal Approaches

This review examined how microplastics interact with heavy metals and organic pollutants in soil and how plants can be used to clean up these mixed contamination scenarios. Researchers found that microplastics can either increase or decrease the toxicity of co-pollutants depending on their chemical properties, and emerging approaches like genetically modified plants and microbial partnerships show promise for improving cleanup efforts.

2025 Soil Systems 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Intercropping Improves Tea Quantity and Quality with Enhanced Soil Nutrients, Soil Enzyme Activity, and Bacterial Community Structure

Researchers compared tea quantity and quality, soil nutrient levels, enzyme activity, and bacterial community structure across different intercropping systems (clover or peanut intercropped with tea), finding that intercropping improves both soil health parameters and tea yield and quality relative to monoculture tea cultivation.

2024 Research Square (Research Square)
Article Tier 2

Application of soil amendments to reduce the transfer of trace metal elements from contaminated soils of Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of the Congo) to vegetables

This paper is not about microplastics; it studies whether organic soil amendments can reduce the transfer of heavy metals like copper, cobalt, and lead from mine-contaminated soils to vegetables in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Stability of organic carbon pools and sequestration potential as affected under different agroforestry systems

This study evaluates how five different agroforestry systems affect soil organic carbon stability and sequestration in degraded Himalayan soils in northeast India. It is not about microplastics and is a false positive for microplastic relevance.

2023 Crop Health 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Succession of biochar addition for soil amendment and contaminants remediation during co-composting: A state of art review

Researchers reviewed how adding biochar during composting improves soil health and reduces contaminants, finding that co-composting with biochar can remediate heavy metals by 66–95% and also adsorb emerging organic pollutants like microplastics and pesticides, though some changes to soil microbial communities may inadvertently favor pathogens.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Plant community responses to polypropylene microplastic and cadmium co-exposure: Implications for mycorrhizal strategies in a coastal wetland

Researchers conducted a mesocosm experiment to assess how polypropylene microplastics and cadmium interact in their effects on coastal wetland plant communities. They found that the combination of microplastics and heavy metals altered soil properties, plant community composition, and root traits in species-specific ways. The study suggests that mycorrhizal strategies play a role in how different plant species respond to this combined contamination.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Microbial responses towards biochar application in potentially toxic element (PTE) contaminated soil: a critical review on effects and potential mechanisms

Researchers reviewed how biochar — a charcoal-like material made from organic waste — can protect soil microorganisms from toxic heavy metal contamination by reducing metal availability and improving soil conditions. The review found that biochar addition consistently shifted microbial communities toward healthier, more diverse compositions, offering a practical soil remediation strategy aligned with sustainability goals.

2023 Biochar 20 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Metolachlor Applications and Phytoremediation Processes on Soil Microorganisms: Insights from Functional Metagenomics Analysis

This paper is not about microplastics — it studies how phytoremediation plants affect soil microbial biodiversity in fields contaminated with the herbicide metolachlor, with no connection to microplastic pollution.

2024 Journal of Xenobiotics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial synergies in phytoremediation: A comprehensive review

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a review of how soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) assist plants in removing pollutants like heavy metals and hydrocarbons through phytoremediation; while the study addresses environmental contamination broadly, it does not examine microplastic pollution or its effects.

2026 International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research
Article Tier 2

Potential impacts of polyethylene microplastics and heavy metals on Bidens pilosa L. growth: Shifts in root-associated endophyte microbial communities

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil contaminated with heavy metals significantly stunted plant growth, reducing root length by nearly 49% and increasing harmful reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. The microplastics also shifted the soil's microbial communities toward stress-resistant species, demonstrating how plastic pollution can disrupt the soil ecosystem that supports our food supply.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Phytomanagement of Metal(loid)-Contaminated Soils: Options, Efficiency and Value

This review examines phytomanagement as a nature-based approach for recovering soils contaminated with metals and metalloids. Researchers found that using plants and associated microorganisms, combined with appropriate site management, can effectively restore soil ecological functions while providing economic value through biomass production. The study suggests that phytomanagement offers a sustainable alternative to conventional soil remediation techniques for large contaminated areas.

2021 Frontiers in Environmental Science 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Maize/Soybean Intercropping with Straw Return Increases Crop Yield by Influencing the Biological Characteristics of Soil

This study tested how combining straw return with maize-soybean intercropping affects soil health and crop yields in northeast China. The combined technique boosted soil microbial diversity, enzyme activity, and crop productivity compared to single-crop farming. While not directly about microplastics, the research highlights sustainable farming practices that improve soil biology, which is relevant because healthier soil ecosystems may be more resilient to microplastic contamination.

2024 Microorganisms 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Accelerating phytoremediation of degraded agricultural soils utilizing rhizobacteria and endophytes: a review

This review examines how beneficial soil bacteria and fungi can help plants clean up contaminated agricultural soils, including those polluted by plastic mulch residues, pesticides, and heavy metals. Microbial-assisted phytoremediation is presented as a promising low-cost approach for restoring degraded farmland.

2019 Environmental Reviews 30 citations
Article Tier 2

How Organic Mulching Influences the Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Function in Urban Forests

Researchers tested how different types of organic mulch affect the bacterial communities in urban forest soils. They found that wood chips and compost changed the soil's chemical properties and shifted the types of bacteria present, particularly those involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling. The study suggests that organic mulching could be a practical tool for improving the microbial health of urban soils.

2024 Microorganisms 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics and heavy metals reshape mangrove rhizosphere microbiomes and compromise carbon fixation potential

Researchers investigated how microplastics and heavy metals together affect the microbial communities around mangrove tree roots. They found that combined pollution significantly reduced microbial diversity and shifted the balance of bacterial species, which in turn compromised the ability of these ecosystems to capture and store carbon. The study highlights that microplastic-metal co-contamination poses a compounding threat to mangrove ecosystems, which play an important role in coastal carbon storage.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The trend of bioremediation as an effective technology in soil decontamination

Not relevant to microplastics — this review covers bioremediation techniques using bacteria, fungi, and plants to clean up soil contaminated with hydrocarbons, pesticides, and heavy metals.

2023 Seven Editora eBooks 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microbial cultures on bacterial communities in the roots of Phyllostachys edulis

Researchers investigated the effects of applying endophytic bacterial cultures isolated from Phyllostachys edulis on bacterial communities in bamboo root systems and rhizosphere, as well as on soil chemical properties. Seven root samples were collected from experimental plots treated with a mixed culture of four bacteria, revealing how microbial inoculants reshape root-associated microbial communities.

2025
Article Tier 2

Research Progress of Soil Pollution and Its Remediation Technology

This review examines the combined soil pollution problem of heavy metals and microplastics in China, summarizing sources, ecological impacts, and remediation technologies including phytoremediation, bioremediation, and physicochemical approaches to restore contaminated agricultural land.

2025 Science and Technology of Engineering Chemistry and Environmental Protection
Article Tier 2

Effect of forest planting patterns on the formation of soil organic carbon during litter lignocellulose degradation from a microbial perspective

Not relevant to microplastics — this study investigates how different urban forest planting patterns (broadleaf, coniferous, mixed) affect soil organic carbon formation through litter decomposition using metagenomics and metabolomics, without any connection to microplastic pollution.

2023 Frontiers in Microbiology 7 citations