Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microbial Responses to an Urban–Suburban–Exurban Gradient in Forest Soils: Shifts in Community Structure and Membrane Lipid Composition

Not relevant to microplastics — this study examines how soil microbial communities and membrane lipid composition shift along an urban-to-rural gradient in China, driven by urbanization and soil depth; microplastics are not a focus of the research.

2026 Land
Article Tier 2

Assessing Microplastic Contamination Effects on Soil Microbial Communities in Agricultural Land

This study sampled agricultural soils with varying degrees of microplastic contamination to assess effects on microbial diversity, abundance, and enzymatic activity, finding that higher microplastic concentrations reduced microbial diversity and suppressed nutrient-cycling enzyme activity.

2025 ACADEMIA Biota Nexus Journal
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
Article Tier 2

Soil horizons regulate bacterial community structure and functions in Dabie Mountain of the East China

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research — it examines how soil horizon depth influences bacterial community structure and nutrient cycling functions in mountain forest soils.

2023 Scientific Reports 8 citations
Review Tier 2

[Interaction between microplastics and microorganisms in soil environment: a review].

This review examines how microplastics alter soil microbial community structure and diversity, and how microorganisms in turn colonize plastic surfaces and degrade them through extracellular enzymes — with degradation efficiency dependent on polymer properties and environmental conditions.

2023 PubMed 10 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

Impacts of Combined Exposure to Glyphosate and Diquat on Microbial Community Structure and Diversity in a Lateritic Paddy Soil

This paper is not relevant to microplastics; it investigates the effects of the herbicides glyphosate and diquat on soil microbial diversity and community structure in a lateritic paddy soil.

2023 Preprints.org 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics indirectly affect soil respiration of different-aged forest by altering microbial communities and carbon metabolism

Researchers explored how microplastics affect soil respiration in forests of different ages by altering microbial community structure and carbon metabolism. The study found microplastic levels ranging from approximately 600 to 3,858 items per sample across forest ages, and that their presence indirectly influences soil carbon cycling processes.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodiversity in mountain soils above the treeline

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews biodiversity gaps in high-altitude mountain soils, covering microorganisms, fungi, and invertebrates, and identifies major geographic and taxonomic blind spots in soil ecology research, with no connection to plastic pollution.

2023 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of different concentrations and types of microplastics on bacteria and fungi in alkaline soil

Researchers examined how different types and concentrations of polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC microplastics affect soil bacteria and fungi in alkaline soil over 310 days, finding that all three stimulated enzyme activities and shifted microbial community abundance patterns.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 166 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of three different microplastics on enzyme activities and microbial communities in soil

Researchers added three types of microplastics (film PE, fiber PP, and sphere PP) to loamy and sandy soils and measured effects on enzyme activities and microbial communities, finding that all three types altered microbial community structure and nutrient-cycling enzyme activities in soil-type-dependent ways.

2020 Water Environment Research 311 citations
Article Tier 2

Do Soil pH Levels Drive the Responses of Catalase Activity and Bacterial Communities to Microplastics? A Case Study in Mollisols

Researchers investigated how soil pH shapes the response of catalase enzyme activity and bacterial communities to microplastic exposure across three Mollisol farmland sites, finding that pH was a key driver of both microplastic effects on enzyme activity and on which microbial community shifts occurred.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Soil Microplastics and Their Relation to Soil and Terrain Attributes Under Different Land Uses

Researchers assessed microplastic contamination in tropical soils under different land uses including forest, grassland, and agricultural areas. They found that agricultural soils had the highest microplastic concentrations, likely due to the use of plastic-based materials in farming. The study reveals how land use practices and soil characteristics influence the distribution and accumulation of microplastics in tropical environments.

2025 AgriEngineering 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of emerging contaminants on soil microbial community composition, soil enzyme activity, and strawberry plant growth in polyethylene microplastic-containing soils

Researchers found that emerging contaminants altered soil microbial community composition and enzyme activity, but these effects were suppressed when HDPE microplastics were also present in the soil, suggesting microplastics may modulate how soils respond to chemical contaminants.

2023 Environmental Science Advances 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of Different Agronomic Activities on Physicochemical Properties and N-cycling Gene Abundances in Farmland Soil Near Copper Tailings Area

Despite its title referencing farmland soil and agronomic activities, this paper studies how different fertilisation practices affect nitrogen-cycling bacteria in soils contaminated with copper mine waste — not microplastic pollution. It examines microbial gene abundances related to nitrogen fixation and denitrification, and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 1 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

Role of Soil Microbiota Enzymes in Soil Health and Activity Changes Depending on Climate Change and the Type of Soil Ecosystem

This review examines how soil microorganism enzymes drive the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and how climate change and farming practices are altering these critical processes. While not focused on microplastics specifically, soil enzyme activity is a key indicator of soil health and can be disrupted by pollutants including plastic particles. Understanding these enzyme systems helps researchers assess how microplastic contamination may affect soil fertility and ecosystem function.

2024 Biology 229 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of land use/land cover change on soil physicochemical properties and soil carbon stock in Kochore district, southern Ethiopia

This study examined how changes in land use in southern Ethiopia affected soil quality and carbon storage over 20 years. While not about microplastics directly, the research is relevant because degraded soils from intensive farming are more vulnerable to microplastic contamination, and healthy agroforestry soils store more carbon and maintain better structure. Understanding soil health is important context for assessing how microplastics affect agricultural land.

2025 Arabian Journal of Geosciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Microplastics Addition on Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in Citrus Orchard].

A laboratory incubation experiment found that adding microplastics to citrus orchard soil altered soil organic carbon breakdown and changed the activity of soil enzymes. These results suggest that microplastic pollution can disrupt the biological processes that keep soils healthy and productive.

2021 PubMed 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatio-temporal distribution of soil microbial communities and nutrient availability around a municipal solid waste landfill

Despite its title referencing soil microbial communities near a municipal solid waste landfill, this paper studies bacterial and fungal community composition in soils surrounding a landfill — not microplastic pollution. It examines how proximity to the landfill affects microbial diversity and nutrient cycling and is not directly relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Frontiers in Microbiology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Parameters of labile organic carbon as the indicators of the stability of soil organic matter under different land use

Despite its title referencing soil organic carbon and land use, this paper studies chemical indicators of soil organic matter stability under different farming practices — not microplastic pollution. It examines which carbon fractions best signal how organic matter is protected in forest and agricultural soils, and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Soil and Water Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Research on Soil Management and Conservation

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a brief editorial introduction to a journal special issue on soil management and conservation, with no substantive content about microplastic pollution.

2024 Soil Systems 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of microplastics on soil ecosystems: A review

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in soil from sources like sewage sludge, agricultural plastic mulch, and wastewater, and how they affect soil ecosystems. Evidence indicates that microplastics alter soil physical and chemical properties, disrupt microbial communities and enzyme activity, and can harm plant growth and soil organisms. The authors highlight that soil microplastic pollution has received far less research attention compared to aquatic environments, despite its potential consequences for agriculture and food safety.

2024 International Journal of Research in Agronomy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of soil enzyme activities and bacterial communities to the accumulation of microplastics in an acid cropped soil

Researchers tested how polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics at different concentrations affect enzyme activity and bacterial communities in acidic agricultural soil. Both types of microplastics reduced the diversity of soil bacteria while stimulating certain enzymes related to nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. The findings suggest that microplastic accumulation in farmland may alter important soil biological processes, potentially affecting nutrient cycling and the breakdown of pollutants.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 795 citations