Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Potential impact of polyethylene microplastics on the growth of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica F.): Endophyte and rhizosphere effects

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect the growth of water spinach, a widely consumed vegetable. The microplastics altered both the root-zone soil bacteria and the beneficial microbes living inside the plant, with effects varying by particle size. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could indirectly affect crop health by disrupting the microbial communities plants depend on.

2023 Chemosphere 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Lettuce seed germination in the presence of microplastic contamination

This study examined the effects of microplastic contamination on lettuce seed germination, finding that microplastics in soil altered physiological processes such as water retention and chlorophyll production, with implications for food safety and agricultural ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Emerging Investigators
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Microplastics and Heavy Metals Individually and in Combination on the Growth of Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatic) and Rhizosphere Microorganisms

Researchers tested how combinations of microplastics and heavy metals (cadmium and lead) affect the growth of water spinach and the microbial communities in its root zone. They found that all three stressors individually inhibited plant growth, and combining microplastics with heavy metals intensified the toxic effects while reducing the availability of essential soil nutrients. The study suggests that microplastic-heavy metal interactions in agricultural soils may pose compounding risks to both crop health and soil ecosystem function.

2025 Agronomy 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica F.) Effectively Absorbs and Accumulates Microplastics at the Micron Level—A Study of the Co-Exposure to Microplastics with Varying Particle Sizes

Researchers discovered that water spinach plants can absorb and accumulate micron-sized polystyrene microplastics in their leaves when the particles are taken up through the roots. The plastic particles traveled from roots through the plant's transport system to accumulate in leaf tissue, and high concentrations stunted plant growth. This finding is directly concerning for food safety because it shows that leafy vegetables people eat can contain microplastics absorbed from contaminated soil or water.

2024 Agriculture 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination on spinach (Spinacia oleracea): influence of plastic polymers, growing media, and copper co-exposure

A pot experiment tested how different microplastic polymers (LDPE, PBAT, starch-based) and copper co-contamination affected spinach grown in two soil types, finding that microplastic effects on plant growth and copper uptake varied significantly by polymer type and soil characteristics.

2025 Next research.
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)

Researchers found that low-density polyethylene microplastics inhibited tobacco plant growth in hydroponics, with high concentrations (1,000 mg/L) reducing chlorophyll content, disrupting antioxidant defenses, and lowering overall biomass.

2022 Agronomy 36 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effects of microplastics polluted soil on the growth of Solanum lycopersicum L.

This study tested how microplastic-contaminated soil affects tomato plant growth, finding that higher concentrations of plastic particles in soil reduced plant height, root development, and overall crop health. The results suggest that microplastic pollution in farmland could reduce food crop yields and potentially affect the quality of the produce we eat.

2024 ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Soil Microplastics on Plant Growth and Soil Health

A greenhouse experiment found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics at increasing concentrations reduced lettuce biomass, altered soil microbial activity, and changed soil structure and water retention, with effects more pronounced at higher MP concentrations.

2025 Knowledgeable Research A Multidisciplinary Journal
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
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Effect of High-Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride and Low-Density Polyethylene Microplastics on Seeding of Paddy

This study tested how three common types of plastic microparticles affect rice seedling growth, finding that they can interfere with early plant development. The results matter for food safety because rice is a staple crop for billions of people, and microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect crop yields and potentially introduce plastic particles into the food supply.

2024 Sarhad Journal of Agriculture 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of microplastic contaminated compost on the growth of rice seedlings

Researchers found that adding PET microplastics to compost significantly harmed rice seedling growth, reducing root length by 38%, plant height by 25%, and chlorophyll content by up to 55%. The microplastics appeared to interfere with nutrient uptake and photosynthesis. This is concerning because compost used in agriculture is often contaminated with plastic waste, which could reduce crop yields and potentially affect food quality.

2024 Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on seed germination and seedling physiological characteristics of Spinacia oleracea under alkali stress.

Polystyrene nanoplastics at moderate to high concentrations (400 mg/L and above) inhibited spinach seed germination and suppressed antioxidant enzyme activity and chlorophyll levels, even under normal growing conditions. When combined with alkaline salt stress — simulating saline soils common in some agricultural regions — both stressors generally compounded harm to plant development. These findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination in irrigated croplands, where plants may already face chemical stress, potentially threatening food crop yields.

2023 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics' accumulation in roots induces adverse physiological and molecular effects in water spinach Ipomoea aquatica Forsk

Researchers exposed water spinach to polystyrene nanoplastics in a hydroponic experiment and tracked where the particles accumulated in the plant. They found that nanoplastics built up primarily in the roots, causing reduced growth, impaired photosynthesis, and disrupted antioxidant defense systems. The study raises concerns about nanoplastic uptake by edible aquatic vegetables and the potential implications for food safety.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of polyethylene microplastics on Brassica rapa: Toxicity mechanism investigation

Researchers exposed the fast-growing plant Brassica rapa (related to turnip and cabbage) to polyethylene microplastics that had been degraded by sunlight, finding that the plastics stunted plant growth by up to 51% and triggered cellular stress responses. Genetic analysis revealed the microplastics disrupted the plant's immune and growth pathways, providing insight into how plastic pollution in agricultural soil could affect food crops.

2024 Emerging contaminants 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic pollution on soil health and crop responses: Insights from dose-dependent pot experiments

Researchers combined field investigation and pot experiments to assess how microplastic contamination at different doses affects soil health indicators and crop growth performance. Field soils showed measurable microplastic contamination, and pot experiments demonstrated dose-dependent effects on soil enzyme activity, water retention, and plant growth metrics.

2024
Article Tier 2

Phytotoxicity of polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics on tomato plant growth using hydroponic experiments at various concentrations. The study found that all three types of microplastics negatively affected seed germination, root growth, and plant development, with effects varying by plastic type and concentration. These findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings could interfere with crop growth and food production.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 195 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of Low-density Polyethylene Microplastics on Soybean-soil-microbial System].

A pot experiment explored how different concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics affect soybean plants, the soil they grow in, and the microbial communities in that soil. Higher microplastic concentrations inhibited soybean growth, reduced soil enzyme activity, and altered microbial diversity in ways that could impair soil fertility. As microplastic contamination of agricultural soils continues to grow, these findings suggest real risks to food crop productivity and soil ecosystem health.

2025 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of physiological stress on plants grown in soil contaminated with microplastics

Researchers tested how three types of microplastics (PET, HDPE, and polyester) affect the growth and health of spring onion and okra plants. They found that all microplastic types reduced chlorophyll levels, increased oxidative stress, and stunted plant growth, with HDPE and polyester causing the most damage. The study highlights the potential ecological risks microplastics pose to vegetable crops grown in contaminated soil.

2025 Scientific Reports 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Microplastic Concentration and Particle Size on the Germination and Seedling Growth of Pisum sativum L.

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics at different sizes and concentrations on pea seed germination and seedling growth in hydroponic experiments. They found that microplastics significantly harmed germination, with low concentrations of the smallest particles showing particularly notable effects. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural environments may pose risks to crop development even at relatively low concentrations.

2024 Agronomy 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the impact of nano-microscale polyethylene and polypropylene plastics on Nicotiana tabacum: Physiological responses and molecular mechanisms

Researchers exposed tobacco plants to polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics of different sizes and found that both types suppressed plant growth in a dose-dependent manner, with polypropylene being more toxic. The microplastics disrupted photosynthesis, triggered oxidative stress, and altered hormone signaling and defense pathways in the plants. These findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination in soil can impair crop growth at the molecular level, potentially affecting agricultural productivity.

2025 Environmental and Experimental Botany 5 citations