Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics mulch film affects the environmental behavior of adsorption and degradation of pesticide residues in soil

Researchers tested how new, aged, and biodegradable polyethylene mulch film microplastics affect the adsorption and degradation of the pesticides imidacloprid and flumioxazin in soil. All three MP types slowed initial pesticide adsorption and extended the time to reach equilibrium, with aged MPs showing the greatest effect, potentially prolonging pesticide persistence in agricultural soils.

2022 Environmental Research 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the sorption/desorption processes of pesticides in biodegradable mulch films used in agriculture

Researchers evaluated how biodegradable mulch films used in agriculture interact with pesticide residues compared to conventional polyethylene films. The study found that biodegradable films actually retained higher amounts of pesticide residues and released less back into the soil than polyethylene, suggesting that these supposedly greener alternatives may act as more persistent reservoirs for agricultural chemical contaminants.

2024 Chemosphere 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption to mulch film decreases bioavailability of two model pesticides for earthworms in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene mulch film microplastics interact with pesticides in agricultural soil and their combined effects on earthworms. The study found that sorption of pesticides to mulch film microplastics actually decreased the bioavailability of two model pesticides to earthworms, suggesting that in some cases microplastics may reduce rather than increase pesticide toxicity to soil organisms.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption to mulch film decreases bioavailability of two model pesticides for earthworms in soil

This study investigated how agricultural mulch film microplastics affect the bioavailability of pesticides to earthworms in soil. Sorption of two model pesticides onto mulch film microplastics significantly decreased their bioavailability, suggesting MPs may alter the ecological risk profile of pesticide-contaminated agricultural soils.

2025 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene film incorporation into the horticultural soil of small periurban production units in Argentina

Researchers surveyed Argentine horticultural soils and found plastic film residues covering 10% of the soil area, then demonstrated in laboratory experiments that polyethylene film strongly adsorbs pesticides (up to 2,284 µg per gram of plastic versus 32 µg per gram of soil), suggesting plastic mulch residues act as pesticide reservoirs that may alter contaminant fate in agricultural fields.

2015 The Science of The Total Environment 285 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of neonicotinoid insecticides by mulch film-derived microplastics and their combined toxicity

Researchers studied how microplastics from agricultural mulch films interact with common insecticides used on crops. They found that biodegradable plastic (PBAT) microplastics adsorbed more pesticide than conventional polyethylene microplastics, and that aging increased this adsorption capacity. When combined, the microplastics and insecticides were more toxic to soil organisms than either pollutant alone, suggesting an underappreciated risk in agricultural soils.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence on the processes of retention and transport of pesticides and ecotoxicity of microplastics in a tropical soil

Researchers investigated how high-density polyethylene microplastics from agricultural mulch films affect the behavior of three pesticides in tropical soil, finding that microplastics altered pesticide sorption, transport, and leaching while also increasing ecotoxicological effects on earthworms.

2023 Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (Universidade de São Paulo)
Article Tier 2

Adsorption behavior and mechanism of five pesticides on microplastics from agricultural polyethylene films

Researchers studied how five common pesticides adsorb onto polyethylene microplastics derived from agricultural soil films. They found that all five pesticides bind to microplastic surfaces, with the process driven by both physical and chemical interactions. The study suggests that microplastics in agricultural soils could act as carriers for pesticide contamination, with adsorption capacity varying depending on the pesticide's chemical properties.

2019 Chemosphere 322 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative study on the adsorption behavior and mechanism of pesticides on agricultural film microplastics and straw degradation products

Researchers compared how agricultural film microplastics and straw-derived cellulose particles adsorb pesticides in farmland soils, finding that both materials sorb pesticides but through different mechanisms, with microplastics showing higher affinity for hydrophobic compounds, potentially altering pesticide mobility and bioavailability.

2022 Chemosphere 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Soil health risks caused by interactions of microplastics and pesticides

Chlorpyrifos adsorption and desorption on pristine and UV-aged LDPE and biodegradable microplastics derived from plastic mulch films was investigated in laboratory experiments, along with bioconcentration in earthworms. Aging altered the adsorption-desorption behavior of both plastic types and affected pesticide bioavailability to earthworms, highlighting risks from pesticide-microplastic interactions in agricultural soils.

2024
Article Tier 2

Impact of plastic mulch film debris on soil physicochemical and hydrological properties

This study compared low-density polyethylene and biodegradable plastic mulch films in agricultural soils, finding that both types left plastic residues that altered soil water infiltration, aggregate stability, and other physicochemical properties relevant to crop productivity.

2020 Environmental Pollution 366 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative study on the adsorption behavior of pesticides by pristine and aged microplastics from agricultural polyethylene soil films

Researchers compared how pristine and aged agricultural polyethylene film microplastics adsorb pesticides. They found that aged films, which develop rougher surfaces, more cracks, and oxygen-containing chemical groups, adsorb pesticides more readily than pristine ones. The study suggests that weathered agricultural microplastics in soil may act as carriers for pesticide contamination, potentially increasing environmental and human health risks.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 146 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the effect of microplastics on the adsorption and degradation behavior of thiamethoxam in agricultural soils

Researchers found that microplastics in agricultural soil alter both the adsorption and degradation behavior of the pesticide thiamethoxam, with different plastic types showing varying effects on how the pesticide binds to soil and breaks down over time.

2023 Chemosphere 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Sorption Behavior of Polylactic Acid/Poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephtalate) Mulching Film Toward Active Substances

Researchers examined the sorption behavior of biodegradable polylactic acid/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) mulching films toward agricultural active substances, comparing them to conventional low-density polyethylene films. The study assessed how these bio-based mulch materials interact with pesticides and other chemicals, with implications for soil contamination and microplastic alternatives in agriculture.

2025 Macromolecular Symposia
Article Tier 2

Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the vertical migration of pesticides in soil

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect the vertical migration of pesticide mixtures in soil using stainless steel column experiments with sandy reference soil, finding that microplastics' hydrophobic surfaces and high sorption capacity altered the transport of 20 pesticides compared to uncontaminated soil.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Agricultural film-derived microplastics elevate the potential risk of pesticides in soil ecosystem: The inhibited leaching by altering soil pore

Researchers found that microplastics derived from agricultural mulch film can increase the environmental risk of pesticides by altering soil pore structure and inhibiting pesticide leaching. Smaller microplastic particles had a stronger effect on trapping pesticides in the upper soil layers, leading to higher localized concentrations. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and pesticides in farm soils may create compounding contamination risks for agricultural ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastic mulch and pesticide residues in intensive agriculture

This PhD thesis examines the environmental threats posed by plastic mulch and pesticide residues in intensive agriculture, covering seven chapters on how these inputs accumulate in soil and harm diverse organisms. Both plastics and pesticides leave persistent debris in agricultural soils with potentially harmful long-term consequences for soil health and food safety.

2022
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on Bioavailability, Persistence and Toxicity of Plant Pesticides: An Agricultural Perspective

This review examines how microplastics in soil interact with pesticides, generally reducing pesticide effectiveness by absorbing the chemicals onto their surfaces. While this lowers the immediate toxicity of pesticides, it also makes them last longer in the environment and may reduce pest control in agriculture, potentially affecting food production and the long-term safety of the food supply.

2025 Agriculture 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural mulch films as soil microplastic contamination factor

This review examines agricultural mulch films as a source of soil microplastic contamination, summarizing evidence on degradation rates, particle accumulation in soil profiles, and impacts on soil properties and biological communities over time.

2024
Article Tier 2

Natural aging and adsorption/desorption behaviors of polyethylene mulch films: Roles of film types and exposure patterns

This study examined how polyethylene mulch films used in farming break down over time and become sources of microplastic pollution in soil. Films exposed on the soil surface degraded faster than buried ones, and the resulting microplastic fragments were better at absorbing toxic pollutants like lead. Importantly, once pollutants attach to these aged microplastics, they are harder to release -- even in conditions that mimic human digestion -- raising concerns about contamination entering our food chain.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of microplastic seed film-coating fragments in soil

Researchers measured degradation rates of seed film-coating microplastic fragments in soil and found highly variable breakdown, ranging from over 48 days for commercial polymer coatings to under 24 days for bioplastic formulations containing Bacillus subtilis spores, with insecticide dissipation accelerating when entrapped in biodegradable coatings compared to direct soil application.

2019 Chemosphere 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Un-biodegradable and biodegradable plastic sheets modify the soil properties after six months since their applications

Researchers found that both biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastic mulch sheets altered soil properties over six months, with exposure duration having a greater impact than plastic type on soil respiration, enzyme activity, and phytotoxicity.

2022 Environmental Pollution 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Thickness-dependent release of microplastics and phthalic acid esters from polythene and biodegradable residual films in agricultural soils and its related productivity effects

Researchers conducted a two-year study comparing the release of microplastics and phthalic acid esters from polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films of different thicknesses in agricultural soil. The study found that biodegradable films degraded significantly more than polyethylene films, with thinner films breaking down faster, and that microplastic release from residual films can affect soil properties and crop productivity.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions of traditional and biodegradable microplastics with neonicotinoid pesticides

Researchers investigated how both traditional and biodegradable microplastics interact with neonicotinoid pesticides in agricultural environments. They found that all microplastic types could adsorb the pesticide thiacloprid, but biodegradable microplastics showed different sorption behavior and higher desorption rates compared to conventional plastics. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may actually increase pesticide mobility in soils, creating a previously unrecognized pathway for agricultural chemical contamination.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations