Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Risks of microplastics on germination and growth of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) depending on the type, concentration, and particle size

Researchers tested how different types, concentrations, and sizes of microplastics affect pepper seed germination and seedling growth. They found that most microplastic treatments inhibited germination and that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles were generally the most harmful to seedling development. The study also revealed that larger microplastic particles tended to cause more oxidative stress in the plants, suggesting particle size plays an important role in toxicity.

2025 Environmental Technology & Innovation 4 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

PET Microparticles Has Severe Toxic Effects to Arabidopsis thaliana in Hydroponic Cultivation

Researchers exposed Arabidopsis thaliana, peas, and maize to PET microparticles in hydroponic cultivation, finding that bacteria-sized PET particles caused severe toxic effects on plant growth, providing evidence that microplastic contamination poses a significant threat to agricultural crops even in the absence of soil or soil microbiota interactions.

2022 Proceedings of the World Congress on New Technologies
Article Tier 2

Phytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene and Polymethyl Methacrylate Microplastics on Allium cepa Roots

Researchers exposed onion roots to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics at various concentrations and observed toxic effects on root growth and cellular health. Both types of microplastics caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted cell division in the root tips. The study provides evidence that common plastic particles in soil can directly harm plant root development at the cellular level.

2023 Plants 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Sowing in Plastic Contaminated Soils: How (Micro)plastics Impact Seed Germination and Growth of White Mustard (Sinapis alba L.)

Laboratory and pot experiments with white mustard (Sinapis alba) exposed to low-density polyethylene microplastics found dose-dependent inhibition of seed germination, root development, and shoot growth, with higher MP concentrations causing greater plant stress.

2025 Applied Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Lolium multiflorum germination and growth affected by virgin, naturally, and artificially aged high-density polyethylene microplastic and leachates

Researchers found that virgin, naturally aged, and artificially aged high-density polyethylene microplastics and their leachates negatively affected Lolium multiflorum germination and growth, with aged microplastics and their chemical leachates showing greater phytotoxicity than virgin particles.

2022 Frontiers in Environmental Science 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics on radish and carrot growth, nutrient uptake, and physiological stress responses

Researchers exposed radish and carrot seedlings to PET microplastics (0.1 g/L) for one week and measured growth, nutrient uptake, and stress markers. While plant biomass was unaffected, chlorophyll levels dropped and oxidative stress indicators rose significantly, showing physiological harm even without visible growth effects.

2025 Applied Biological Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Impact Of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastic Contamination On Andosol Soil Quality

This study investigated the effects of PET microplastics on Andosol soil quality and plant growth, finding that increasing PET concentrations degraded soil physical and chemical properties. PET-contaminated soils showed reduced water retention and altered nutrient availability, negatively affecting plant development.

2025 Proceeding of International Seminar and Workshop on Public Health Action
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

Effects of Microplastic Particles and Microplastic Leachate on the Germination and Growth of Lolium multiflorum

Researchers tested whether polypropylene microplastic particles and the chemicals they leach affect Italian ryegrass germination and growth. Both physical microplastic particles and their leachate reduced germination rates and seedling growth, suggesting that both the particles themselves and their chemical additives can harm terrestrial plants.

2020 Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
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

Effect of Microplastics on the Germination and Growth of Terrestrial Plants

This review summarized studies on the effects of microplastics on the germination and growth of terrestrial plants, finding generally negative effects at high concentrations including reduced germination rates and root length. Effects varied by plant species, polymer type, and particle size, and the review highlighted limited data from realistic field exposures.

2022 Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of High-Density Polyethylene Nanoplastics (HDPE-NPs) in Soil Can Influence the Growth Parameters of Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) at Various Stages of Development

Researchers grew tomato plants in soil spiked with high-density polyethylene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations, finding that the nanoplastics slowed germination, reduced root and shoot growth, and affected plant physiology at multiple developmental stages. Effects were dose-dependent and more pronounced at higher nanoplastic concentrations. As nanoplastics are now detected in agricultural soils through biosolid application and irrigation, this study raises concerns about the impact of nano-sized plastic contamination on food crop yields.

2025 Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Impacts of Microplastics on the Plants Growth in Agriculture Soil

Researchers investigated the effects of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) microplastics at concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% on the germination, growth parameters, and nutrient content of horse gram, green gram, and chili grown in agricultural soil. Higher PVA concentrations reduced germination percentage, seedling length, and vigor index, and caused significant reductions in boron and sulphur concentrations alongside decreased soil pH and chlorophyll a levels.

2024 International Journal of Plant & Soil Science
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microbeads on seed germination, plant growth and nutrient uptake in two landraces of Capsicum annuum L

Researchers examined how polystyrene microbeads affect seed germination, plant growth, and nutrient uptake in two varieties of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum). The study found that microplastic exposure impaired germination, root development, and nutrient absorption in the plants, adding to growing evidence that microplastics in agricultural soils can negatively affect crop physiology and potentially enter the food chain.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Microplastics with Different Types, Particle Sizes, and Concentrations on the Germination of Non-Heading Chinese Cabbage Seed

Five microplastic types were tested on non-heading Chinese cabbage seed germination, finding PVC and PET had the greatest inhibitory effects on germination, while PVC and PP promoted growth of germinated seeds at certain concentrations.

2024 Agriculture 5 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

Physiological analysis and transcriptome profiling reveals the impact of microplastic on melon (Cucumis melo L.) seed germination and seedling growth

Researchers examined how polyvinyl chloride microplastics affect melon seed germination and seedling development. They found that low to medium concentrations of microplastics significantly reduced germination rates and stunted young root growth, while also disrupting gene expression related to plant stress responses. The study provides early evidence that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils may impair the growth of economically important crop plants.

2023 Journal of Plant Physiology 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Impact of Microplastics Type of Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polystyrene on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Rice Plants

Researchers investigated how three common types of microplastics, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, affect rice seed germination and early seedling growth. They found that microplastic exposure altered root development and shoot growth, with the effects varying by polymer type. The study raises concerns about how microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils could affect staple crop establishment and food production.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 15 citations
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

Effects of Microplastics on Germination and Seedlings Growth of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Researchers tested the effects of different microplastics on wheat seed germination and seedling growth and found that all treatments reduced plant development compared to controls. Polythene-containing microplastic treatments had the most negative impact, with significant reductions in both shoot and root length across wheat varieties.

2026 Journal of Bio-Science
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

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

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