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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Accumulation characteristics and evaluation of heavy metals in soils and vegetables of plastic-covered sheds in typical red soil areas of China
ClearResidual mulch-film characteristics affect heavy metal migration of different soil layers in the subtropical croplands of China
Researchers surveyed 75 plastic-mulched croplands in subtropical China and found that residual mulch film abundance correlates significantly with elevated cadmium, chromium, copper, and lead concentrations in soil, suggesting that microplastics from agricultural films actively influence heavy metal mobility through adsorption processes and that longer mulching histories pose greater contamination risk.
Accumulation of microplastics in greenhouse soil after long-term plastic film mulching in Beijing, China
Researchers found that microplastic contamination in Beijing greenhouse soils increased with the duration of plastic film mulching, with abandoned greenhouses accumulating the highest levels at over 2,200 particles per kilogram of soil.
Adsorption Characteristics of Cd and Pb on Microplastic Films Generated in Agricultural Environment
Korean researchers found that agricultural microplastic films (used in greenhouses and mulching) can adsorb heavy metals like cadmium and lead onto their surfaces. This means microplastics in farm soils can accumulate and transport toxic metals, potentially contaminating crops and groundwater.
[Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Farmland Soil in Guyuan].
Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in agricultural soils in Guyuan City, China, finding concentrations ranging from 186 to 1,286 particles per kg, with greenhouse farming soils containing 35–229% more microplastics than open fields and PE and PP being the dominant polymer types. The findings raise concern for food chain contamination and demonstrate that plastic mulch film use in facility agriculture significantly increases soil microplastic accumulation.
Greenhouse farming as a source of macroplastic and microplastics contamination in agricultural soils: a case study from Southeast-Hungary
Researchers quantified macroplastic and microplastic contamination in greenhouse farmland soils in China, finding significant accumulation of polyethylene film fragments throughout the soil profile and in underlying groundwater, demonstrating that greenhouse agriculture is a substantial source of agricultural soil plastic pollution.
Characteristics of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution and Health Risks in Chenzhou City
Researchers analyzed 600 soil samples in Chenzhou City, China, and found that while most areas had low to moderate heavy metal contamination, about 3% of samples showed high ecological risk from metals like mercury and cadmium near industrial zones. While focused on heavy metals rather than microplastics, the study is relevant because microplastics in soil can absorb and transport these same toxic metals, potentially increasing human exposure through crops grown in contaminated areas.
A case on source to soil to solutions: Distribution characteristics of microplastics in farmland soil of the largest vegetable base in Northwest China
Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in farmland soil at the largest vegetable growing region in northwest China, finding an average of nearly 2,000 particles per kilogram of soil. Greenhouse-farmed soil had more microplastics than open-field soil, and contamination increased with years of farming, with plastic mulch film, irrigation water, and fertilizer all contributing to the pollution. While current levels were assessed as low ecological risk, the steady accumulation over time raises concerns about long-term food safety in intensively farmed regions.
Status, characteristics, and ecological risks of microplastics in farmland surface soils cultivated with different crops across mainland China
Researchers conducted a nationwide survey of microplastics in farmland soils across mainland China, covering over 30 crop types in 109 cities. They found microplastics in all sampled soils, with concentrations varying by crop type, region, and farming practices such as plastic film mulching and irrigation methods. The study provides the most comprehensive picture to date of agricultural microplastic contamination in China and identifies the key farming practices that contribute most to soil pollution.
Agricultural plastic films reshape soil microplastic distribution, nitrogen cycle and ecological risks in facility agriculture
Researchers compared microplastic characteristics in protected agriculture systems and traditional farmland soils in China, finding significantly higher microplastic abundance in mulched farmland and documenting correlations between microplastic presence and altered soil nitrogen cycling and heavy metal distribution.
Sources, effects and present perspectives of heavy metals contamination: soil, plants and human food chain
This review summarizes how heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic contaminate soil, get absorbed by crops, and enter the human food chain. Heavy metals at high levels can damage plant growth and accumulate in food at concentrations unsafe for human consumption. This is relevant to microplastics research because microplastics in soil can bind and transport heavy metals, potentially increasing the amount that ends up in the food we eat.
Distribution characteristics of microplastics in agricultural soils from the largest vegetable production base in China
Soil samples from greenhouse and open-field vegetable farms in Shouguang, China's largest greenhouse production region, contained 310–5,698 MP items/kg, with small particles (<0.5 mm) accumulating preferentially in deeper soil layers — indicating vertical migration over time.
Novel insights related to soil microplastic abundance and vegetable microplastic contamination
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in farmland soils and the vegetables grown in them, finding that polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common plastic types in soil. Chinese cabbage had the highest vegetable contamination levels, and there was a moderate correlation between soil and vegetable microplastic concentrations. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastics in agricultural soil can transfer into the food crops people eat.
Assessing stress responses in potherb mustard (Brassica juncea var. multiceps) exposed to a synergy of microplastics and cadmium: Insights from physiology, oxidative damage, and metabolomics
Researchers found that microplastics in soil increased the amount of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, that mustard green plants absorbed, while also reducing crop yields and photosynthesis. Higher concentrations of microplastics made more cadmium available in the soil, leading to greater accumulation of the metal in the plants. This raises food safety concerns because vegetables grown in microplastic-contaminated soil could contain higher levels of toxic metals that are harmful to human health.
Microplastic characteristics and microplastic-heavy metal synergistic contamination in agricultural soil under different cultivation modes in Chengdu, China
Researchers surveyed agricultural soils across different farming types in Chengdu, China and found microplastics in every sample, with grasslands containing more than twice the concentration of other land uses. The most common particle types were fibers, films, and granules, predominantly in red, blue, and transparent colors. The study also assessed the combined contamination of microplastics and heavy metals, finding that these pollutants tend to co-occur and may create synergistic risks in farming soils.
Microplastics may increase the environmental risks of Cd via promoting Cd uptake by plants: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis found that microplastics in soil can increase how much cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) plants absorb. This is concerning because it means microplastic pollution could make our food crops more contaminated with heavy metals, adding another health risk on top of the plastics themselves.
Microplastics in agricultural soils in China: Sources, impacts and solutions
This review examines microplastic contamination in Chinese agricultural soils, finding abundances ranging from about 5 to over 40,000 items per kilogram depending on location. The study identifies plastic mulching films as the most significant source, followed by abandoned greenhouses and organic fertilizers, and recommends sustainable agronomic practices to reduce soil microplastic pollution.
Microplastics addition reduced the toxicity and uptake of cadmium to Brassica chinensis L.
Researchers studied how the presence of microplastics in soil affects the toxicity and uptake of cadmium, a harmful heavy metal, by Chinese cabbage plants. They found that microplastics actually reduced cadmium accumulation in the plants by adsorbing the metal onto their surfaces, effectively lowering its availability in the soil. While this reduced cadmium toxicity to the plants, the study notes that microplastics themselves may introduce other environmental risks.
Managing contaminants in farmed soils: case studies from China
This chapter examines agricultural soil contamination in China — where 16.1% of surveyed sites are polluted — using case studies to illustrate strategies for managing heavy metals, microplastics, and other contaminants in farmed soils with implications for food safety.
Macro- and micro-plastic accumulation in soils under different intensive farming systems: A case study in Quzhou county, the North China Plain
Soil samples from six farming systems in the North China Plain showed macroplastic abundances from 0.2 to 46.8 kg/ha and microplastic concentrations up to 3.7×10⁴ items/kg, with greenhouse and mulched vegetable fields showing the highest contamination.
Potentially toxic metals in irrigation water, soil, and vegetables and their health risks using Monte Carlo models
Researchers measured toxic metals including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead in irrigation water, soil, and vegetables in Nigeria, finding levels that exceeded safety guidelines in all cases. The toxic metals accumulated in commonly eaten vegetables like spinach and cabbage, posing cancer and non-cancer health risks to adults and children. While focused on heavy metals, this research is relevant to microplastics because microplastics in agricultural soil can absorb and transport these same toxic metals into crops.
Agricultural plastic mulching as a source of microplastics in the terrestrial environment
Researchers analyzed 384 soil samples from 19 Chinese provinces and found that macroplastic fragments were concentrated in agricultural fields with plastic mulch film use, providing large-scale field evidence linking agricultural mulching to terrestrial plastic contamination.
Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China
This review examines plastic pollution in Chinese farmland soils, finding that agricultural practices like mulch film use and sewage sludge application are major sources of both macro- and microplastics that accumulate over time.
Potential sources and occurrence of macro-plastics and microplastics pollution in farmland soils: A typical case of China
This study provides the first comprehensive survey of plastic pollution in Chinese farmland soil, analyzing data from 163 publications covering 728 sites. The average microplastic abundance was 4,537 particles per kilogram of dry soil, with agricultural plastic films and organic waste being the biggest sources. Since China is the world's largest user of agricultural plastics, these findings highlight how farming practices can lead to significant microplastic contamination of the soil that grows our food.
Effects of agricultural land types on microplastic abundance: A nationwide meta-analysis in China
Meta-analysis of 321 observations across Chinese agricultural soils found that vegetable-growing soils had the highest microplastic contamination, followed by orchards, cropland, and grassland. Agricultural film mulch significantly increased soil microplastic levels, especially in orchards, while higher population density and economic activity correlated with increased contamination across all land types.