Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Brassica sprouts exposed to microplastics: Effects on phytochemical constituents

Brassica sprouts grown in soil containing microplastics at varying concentrations showed changes in secondary metabolite profiles and reduced accumulation of key bioactive compounds including glucosinolates and antioxidants. The results suggest that microplastic contamination of agricultural soils can alter the nutritional and phytochemical quality of edible crops.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental and Toxicological Perspectives of Soil Microplastics in Northern Nigeria

This study examined microplastic occurrence and toxicological implications in soils of Northern Nigeria, identifying agricultural plastics, industrial waste, and urban runoff as key sources. The research addressed a gap in African soil MP research and highlighted ecosystem and food safety risks in the region.

2025 Journal of African Innovation and Advanced Studies
Article Tier 2

Responses of soil biochemical properties and Cichorium intybus L. growth to polyethylene microplastic pollution

Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil did not significantly affect chicory (Cichorium intybus) growth at concentrations ≤1.5%, but at 4.5% significantly reduced plant height, root length, and aboveground fresh weight by 25%, while also increasing oxidative stress markers and reducing bacterial diversity in rhizosphere soil.

2025 Frontiers in Plant Science
Article Tier 2

Comparative Study of Zinc Concentration in the Root, Stem, and Leaf of Maize (Zea mays) Grown on Soil Collected From Several Dumpsites in Anyigba, Nigeria

This study measured zinc concentrations in the root, stem, and leaf tissues of maize grown on open dumpsite soils in Anyigba, Nigeria, finding elevated Zn levels in plant tissues compared to reference soils. The results documented the uptake of heavy metals—released by plastic-containing wastes—into edible crops grown near unmanaged dump sites.

2024 Journal of Environmental Bioremediation and Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soil differentially interfere with nutritional aspects of chilli peppers

Growing chilli peppers in soil contaminated with five different microplastic types — including PVC, PS, HDPE, LDPE, and PET — significantly reduced nutritional quality, with PVC causing the greatest losses in protein, vitamins A and B6, and fatty acids. This research demonstrates a direct pathway by which soil microplastic pollution could degrade the nutritional value of food crops, with implications for food security and human health.

2023 South African Journal of Botany 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polyethylene on soil physicochemical properties and characteristics of sweet potato growth and polyethylene absorption

Researchers studied the effects of original and weathered polyethylene microplastics on soil properties and sweet potato growth, finding that microplastics can alter soil characteristics and affect plant nutrient absorption. The study also found that sweet potato roots can absorb polyethylene particles, raising questions about food safety in agricultural areas contaminated with plastic film residues.

2022 Chemosphere 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar counteracts the negative effects of microplastics on physiological and biochemical characteristics and leaf metabolism in Zea mays L

Researchers studied whether biochar could counteract the harmful effects of microplastics on maize plant growth and soil health. They found that adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil restored antioxidant enzyme balance, improved beneficial metabolic pathways in leaves, and increased bacterial community diversity. The study suggests biochar may help plants resist microplastic-induced stress by boosting glucose metabolism in root systems.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene microplastics and heavy metals on soil-plant microbial dynamics

This study examined how polyethylene microplastics interact with heavy metals in soil and found that microplastics significantly reduced plant growth while altering soil enzyme activity and microbial communities. The combination of microplastics and heavy metals disrupted nutrient cycling in the soil in ways that were different from either pollutant alone. These findings suggest that microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect crop nutrition and food production.

2023 Environmental Pollution 37 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
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Contamination and Its Impact on Soil Properties Across Different Land Uses in Cross River State, Nigeria

A survey of soils across four land-use types in southeastern Nigeria found microplastic concentrations up to 12 times higher in commercial areas than in forests, with contamination linked to changes in soil structure, nutrient availability, and water infiltration. This is the first large-scale assessment of microplastic distribution in Nigerian tropical soils, filling a major data gap for sub-Saharan Africa. The findings suggest that heavily contaminated commercial soils may have degraded agricultural and ecological functionality, with consequences for food security in the region.

2026 Iconic Research and Engineering Journals
Article Tier 2

A Combined Effect of Mixed Multi-Microplastic Types on Growth and Yield of Tomato

Researchers grew tomatoes in soil spiked with a mixture of polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics and found that while the plants appeared to grow normally, the nutritional quality of the fruit changed. Microplastics significantly reduced carotenoids, flavonoids, and sugars in the tomatoes while increasing protein and certain stress-related enzymes. This suggests that even when crops look healthy, microplastics in soil could subtly reduce the nutritional value of the food we eat.

2025 Microplastics 9 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of healthy and contaminated soil conditions on the anatomical structure and morphological parameters of cassava plants (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

Researchers investigated how microplastic-contaminated soil affects the anatomical structure and morphological parameters of cassava (Manihot esculenta), finding that MP exposure altered the plant's tissue architecture and growth characteristics. The study highlighted MP soil pollution as a meaningful threat to horticultural crop health.

2025 Journal of Applied Horticulture
Article Tier 2

Plastics in Agricultural and Urban Soils: Interactions with Plants, Micro-Organisms, Inorganic and Organic Pollutants: An Overview of Polyethylene (PE) Litter

This review examines how polyethylene plastic, one of the most common plastics, behaves in both farm and city soils and interacts with plants, soil microbes, and other pollutants. Microplastics in soil can change nutrient availability, alter microbial communities, and carry other contaminants like heavy metals. These changes could ultimately affect the safety and nutritional quality of crops grown in contaminated soil.

2024 Soil Systems 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of soil microplastic contamination on maize (Zea mays) development and microbial dynamics

Researchers grew maize (corn) in soil contaminated with varying amounts of microplastics and found that higher microplastic levels disrupted soil bacteria and fungi, caused leaf damage like yellowing and tissue death, and led to elevated heavy metals in plant tissue above safe limits. The results point to serious risks microplastics pose to crop health, soil ecosystems, and food safety.

2024 Discover Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Different effects of polyethylene microplastics on bioaccumulation of three fungicides in maize (Zea mays L.)

Polyethylene microplastics in agricultural soil altered the sorption and dissipation of three fungicides and their accumulation in maize plants, with effects differing by fungicide type and plastic particle concentration.

2024 Crop Health 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Plastic Residues on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity: A Comprehensive Research Study

This agricultural field study assessed how plastic residues at varying contamination levels affect soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and crop productivity, finding that higher microplastic concentrations disrupted soil structure, reduced microbial activity, and lowered plant growth.

2025 Futuristic Biotechnology
Article Tier 2

Microplastics reduced bioavailability and altered toxicity of phenanthrene to maize (Zea mays L.) through modulating rhizosphere microbial community and maize growth

Researchers studied how microplastics affect the behavior of phenanthrene, a common soil pollutant, in maize-growing soil. They found that microplastics reduced the amount of phenanthrene absorbed by the plants while also changing the microbial communities around the roots. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil can alter how other pollutants interact with crops, sometimes reducing their uptake but also shifting soil ecology in complex ways.

2023 Chemosphere 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination in soil affects growth and root nodulation of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.) and 16 s rRNA sequencing of rhizosphere soil

Researchers found that low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastic contamination in field soil negatively affected fenugreek plant growth, root nodulation, and rhizosphere microbial community structure, raising concerns about agricultural soil health.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 25 citations
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

Biochar alleviated the toxic effects of microplastics‐contaminated geocarposphere soil on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) pod development: roles of pod nutrient metabolism and geocarposphere microbial modulation

Adding biochar to microplastic-contaminated soil significantly mitigated the harm that microplastics caused to peanut pod development, improving nutrient metabolism within the pods and modifying the soil microbial community around the developing pods. The finding suggests biochar is a practical soil amendment that could help protect crop yields and food quality in agricultural areas where plastic film mulching has left behind high microplastic loads.

2023 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 12 citations