Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and biochar on soil cadmium availability and wheat plant performance

Researchers found that fresh microplastics increased soil cadmium availability and plant uptake in wheat, and when combined with biochar, microplastics further amplified cadmium mobilization by decreasing soil pH and increasing dissolved organic matter, complicating biochar-based soil remediation strategies.

2023 GCB Bioenergy 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics in soil on the regulation of cadmium bioavailability by biochar

Researchers investigated how biochar amendments affect cadmium bioavailability in soils co-contaminated with microplastics, finding that the presence of microplastics altered cadmium mobility and complicated biochar's remediation effectiveness in ways that depend on the specific MP type present.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 2 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Biochar Offsets Microplastic-Induced Cadmium Mobilization and Plant Accumulation in Contaminated Soils

This greenhouse study found that microplastics in soil can increase how much cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) is absorbed by crops. Adding biochar to the soil helped counteract this effect, reducing cadmium uptake by plants — a promising finding for protecting food safety in contaminated farmland.

2026 Water Air & Soil Pollution
Article Tier 2

Competitive adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of Cd, Ni, and Cu by biochar when coexisting with microplastics under single, binary, and ternary systems

Researchers studied how biochar absorbs heavy metals like cadmium, nickel, and copper when microplastics are also present in the soil. They found that microplastics competed with biochar for metal binding, reducing its effectiveness as a soil amendment. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils may undermine common remediation strategies that rely on biochar to immobilize toxic metals.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption, immobilization mechanisms and potential risks of Cd in soil-biochar-microplastics system

This study examined how varying concentrations (0-10%) of polyethylene microplastics affect biochar's capacity to adsorb and immobilize cadmium (Cd) in soil. Microplastics increased biochar's Cd adsorption by up to 33% but simultaneously elevated Cd leaching risk, highlighting a complex trade-off in using biochar for heavy metal remediation in microplastic-contaminated soils.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable microplastics coupled with biochar enhance Cd chelation and reduce Cd accumulation in Chinese cabbage

Researchers tested how biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics interact with biochar in soil contaminated with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, and found that the combination reduced cadmium uptake in Chinese cabbage by up to 47%. The PLA promoted formation of natural chelating compounds in the root zone that bound the cadmium, suggesting a possible soil remediation benefit from certain biodegradable plastics.

2025 Biochar 74 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics and Biochar on Chlorophyll Content in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Researchers grew wheat seedlings over 21 days in soils containing polyethylene microplastics and wood biochar, individually and in combination, and measured chlorophyll content as an indicator of plant health. Biochar partially mitigated microplastic-induced reductions in chlorophyll, suggesting that carbon amendment could serve as a low-cost strategy to protect crops in microplastic-contaminated soils.

2025 Journal of biotechnology and bioinformatics.
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the Role of Tobacco Stalk Biochar in Wheat Growth Under Microplastic Exposure

Researchers conducted a two-factor pot experiment testing whether tobacco stalk biochar could mitigate the effects of polyethylene microplastics on wheat growth, finding that biochar addition restored soil pH and organic matter and partly reversed the physiological stress caused by microplastic exposure.

2025 Plants
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and cadmium co-contamination on soil properties, maize (Zea mays L.) growth characteristics, and cadmium accumulation in maize in loessial soil-maize systems

Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on soil properties and maize growth through pot experiments. They found that microplastics altered soil nutrient availability and, depending on size and concentration, either increased or decreased cadmium uptake by the plants. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can change how crops absorb toxic heavy metals, with potential implications for food safety.

2024 Environmental Pollution 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Remediation of Coastal Wetland Soils Co-Contaminated with Microplastics and Cadmium Using Spartina alterniflora Biochar: Soil Quality, Microbial Communities, and Plant Growth Responses

Researchers tested whether Spartina alterniflora-derived biochar applied at 2% could remediate coastal wetland soils co-contaminated with cadmium and polyethylene or polylactic acid microplastics. Biochar significantly improved soil pH, organic matter, and microbial diversity while reducing cadmium bioavailability and plant uptake, making it a promising amendment for combined metal-plastic contaminated soils.

2025 Agronomy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Co-Contamination of Microplastics and Cd on Plant Growth and Cd Accumulation

Researchers investigated how two types of microplastics, high-density polyethylene and polystyrene, at various concentrations affect cadmium uptake and toxicity in maize plants grown in agricultural soil. The study found that while polyethylene alone had no significant effect, polystyrene at higher doses altered cadmium accumulation patterns, suggesting that different plastic types may interact differently with heavy metals in soil.

2020 Toxics 239 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact mechanisms of polyethylene microplastic on Cd adsorption and passivation by KMnO4-modified biochar in different soils

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect cadmium (Cd) adsorption and passivation by KMnO4-modified biochar across 50 soil combinations varying in soil type, Cd concentration, and microplastic content. Microplastics increased biochar's Cd adsorption capacity by 1.5-33.1% depending on concentration but also increased Cd leaching risk at higher microplastic loads.

2025 Environmental Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the soil-plant system: Phytotoxicity, Cd accumulation and microbial activity

Researchers tested how different microplastic types combined with cadmium affect plant growth and soil health. Aged and biodegradable microplastics increased cadmium uptake in mustard greens more than fresh conventional plastics did. The study also found that microplastics altered soil microbial activity, suggesting that plastic pollution in farmland could change how plants absorb toxic metals from contaminated soil.

2023 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics and Biochar on Chlorophyll Content in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

A 21-day outdoor study investigated polyethylene microplastics and wood biochar effects on wheat seedling chlorophyll content, finding that higher PE concentrations reduced chlorophyll while biochar addition partially mitigated those negative effects.

2025
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and cadmium on the soil-wheat system as single and combined contaminants

Researchers found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics combined with cadmium reduced wheat chlorophyll concentrations and affected soil-plant systems differently depending on pollution levels, revealing complex interaction effects between co-contaminants.

2023 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar Influences Polyethylene Microplastic-Contaminated Soil Properties and Enzyme Activities

This study examined how biochar additions modify the properties of polyethylene microplastic-contaminated soil and affect plant growth, finding that biochar partially mitigated microplastic-induced soil degradation and improved plant performance. Biochar shows promise as a low-cost soil amendment to counteract microplastic impacts.

2024 Agronomy 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar alters chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil

Researchers found that biochar amendments improved chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil, with effects varying by biochar type and water conditions, suggesting biochar as a potential remediation tool for plastic-polluted agricultural soils.

2022 Environmental Research 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of incorporating biochar on soil quality and barley yield in microplastics-contaminated soils

This study tested whether adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil could improve soil quality and crop performance. Researchers found that biochar application helped offset some of the negative effects of microplastics on soil properties and boosted barley yields even under drought conditions. The results suggest biochar could be a practical tool for managing farmland affected by plastic pollution.

2024 Chemosphere 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Plant Cadmium Toxicity and Biomarkers Are Differentially Modulated by Degradable and Nondegradable Microplastics in Soil

Researchers compared how degradable (polylactic acid) and nondegradable (polypropylene) microplastics affect cadmium toxicity in plants grown in contaminated soil. They found that polypropylene caused greater root growth inhibition, while polylactic acid led to higher levels of cellular stress markers at certain concentrations. The study reveals that both types of microplastics can alter soil chemistry and increase the uptake of heavy metals by crops, but through different mechanisms.

2024 Toxics 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological Impacts of Microplastics and Cadmium Pollution on Wheat Seedlings

Researchers investigated the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on wheat seedlings and found that microplastics generally reduced the antioxidant enzyme response that cadmium alone would trigger. The study also found that microplastics altered cadmium bioaccumulation patterns, increasing cadmium uptake in roots at low concentrations but decreasing it at higher levels, suggesting complex interactions between these co-occurring pollutants.

2026 Nanomaterials
Article Tier 2

Joint toxicity of cadmium (II) and microplastic leachates on wheat seed germination and seedling growth

Researchers investigated how cadmium and chemical compounds that leach from microplastics jointly affect wheat seed germination and seedling growth. They found that microplastic leachates from PVC and polyethylene can interact with cadmium in complex ways, sometimes worsening and sometimes lessening the toxic effects on young wheat plants. The study suggests that the combined presence of heavy metals and microplastics in agricultural soils could pose risks to crop development.

2024 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Naturally aged polylactic acid microplastics stunted pakchoi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) growth with cadmium in soil

Researchers investigated the combined effects of naturally aged polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics and cadmium on pakchoi growth in soil. The study found that aged PLA microplastics were more detrimental than virgin ones, and the combination with cadmium further stunted plant growth and disrupted antioxidant systems and soil microbial activities.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Stress of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics on pakchoi(Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) and soil bacteria: Biochar mitigation

Researchers compared the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on pakchoi (a leafy vegetable) and found that both types harmed plant growth and disrupted soil bacteria. Adding biochar to the soil helped reduce these negative effects, suggesting it could be a practical way to protect crops from microplastic contamination in agricultural settings.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential Effect of Biochar on Soil Properties, Microbial Activity and Vicia faba Properties Affected by Microplastics Contamination

Researchers found that microplastic contamination significantly altered soil properties and reduced Vicia faba plant growth and microbial activity, while biochar amendment at 2% effectively mitigated these adverse effects.

2023 Agronomy 36 citations