Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Comparative Study on the Use of Traditional, Conventional and Advanced Methodologies for Sustainable Agriculture – a Review

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a review comparing traditional, conventional, and nano-technology-based fertilisation methods in agriculture.

2023 International Association of Biologicals and Computational Digest 1 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Resource Spatial Mismatch on the Configuration Analysis of Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity

This study analyzed how the spatial distribution of agricultural resources affects green farming productivity in China from 2005 to 2021. While not directly about microplastics, it found that pollutant emissions from fertilizers and petroleum products significantly hinder sustainable agriculture. The findings are indirectly relevant because agricultural plastic waste, including mulch films, is a major source of microplastic contamination in farmland soil.

2024 Agriculture 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Plasticulture in Chinese Agriculture: a Review of Challenges and Routes to Achieving Long-term Food and Ecosecurity

This review examines the challenges of plasticulture in Chinese agriculture, where macro-, micro-, and nanoplastic pollution from mulch films threatens long-term soil health and crop production. The authors propose holistic solutions targeting plastic production, use, and waste management to protect food security.

2023 Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The challenge of nanotechnology in the field of agricultural applications: Nanofertilizers as an emerging technology

This systematic review covers the development and applications of nanofertilizers — nano-scale nutrient delivery systems for agriculture — as an emerging and more efficient alternative to conventional fertilizers. Precision agriculture using nanotechnology could reduce the reliance on plastic-coated slow-release fertilizers that contribute microplastics to soil.

2023
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in organic fertilizers in China

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in organic fertilizers across China, finding widespread plastic particles in compost, manure, and biosolids, identifying fertilizer application as an emerging pathway for microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 129 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Pollution 148 citations
Article Tier 2

Precise application of water and fertilizer to crops: challenges and opportunities

This review covers precision agriculture technologies that optimize water and fertilizer use through sensors, remote sensing, and machine learning. While focused on crop management, the research is relevant to microplastic pollution because controlled-release fertilizers with plastic coatings are a significant source of soil microplastics, and precision application could reduce the volume of these coatings entering farmland.

2024 Frontiers in Plant Science 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in soils with different agricultural practices: Importance of sources with internal origin and environmental fate

Microplastic abundance and characteristics were examined in soils representing four agricultural practice types in Chinese farmland to evaluate the influence of land use on plastic particle accumulation. Microplastic concentrations and polymer types varied by agricultural practice, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation water source as key drivers of farmland soil contamination.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 282 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct microplastic distributions in soils of different land-use types: A case study of Chinese farmlands

Microplastic distribution across six types of farmland land use was surveyed from soils in five Chinese provinces to determine how agricultural practices shape soil microplastic contamination. The study found that microplastic abundance varied significantly by land-use type, with plastic mulch film use and irrigation practices as key contributing factors.

2020 Environmental Pollution 278 citations
Article Tier 2

Significant influence of land use types and anthropogenic activities on the distribution of microplastics in soil: A case from a typical mining-agricultural city

Scientists surveyed microplastic pollution across five types of land in a Chinese mining-agricultural city and found the highest levels in greenhouse farmland, with nearly 3,738 particles per kilogram of soil. Agricultural plastic waste, irrigation water, and fertilizers were identified as the main sources of contamination. The study shows that farming practices are major contributors to microplastic buildup in the soil that produces our food.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Energy budget and carbon footprint in a wheat and maize system under ridge furrow strategy in dry semi humid areas

This agricultural study compared the energy use and carbon footprint of wheat-maize farming systems using different irrigation and planting strategies in semi-arid China. The research has no direct relevance to microplastic research but informs sustainable farming practices that reduce overall environmental impact.

2021 Scientific Reports 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Agricultural Microplastics Pollution: From Hidden Threats to Global Food Security Towards Sustainable Strategies

This comprehensive review examines agricultural microplastic pollution across the atmosphere, soil, water, and biological systems, proposing a framework linking farming-derived MP contamination to food security risks and calling for integrated approaches to manage MNPs in agricultural systems.

2025 Plant Cell & Environment
Review Tier 2

Towards nutrient neutrality: A review of agricultural runoff mitigation strategies and the development of a decision-making framework.

This paper is not about microplastics; it reviews agricultural runoff mitigation strategies to reduce nutrient pollution in waterways.

2023 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distributions, Compositional Profiles, Potential Sources, and Intfluencing Factors of Microplastics in Soils from Different Agricultural Farmlands in China: A National Perspective

Researchers conducted a nationwide survey of microplastics in Chinese agricultural soils, collecting 477 samples from 109 cities across 31 regions, and identified spatial distribution patterns and key factors influencing farmland microplastic contamination.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 130 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Micro and nano-plastics on environmental health: a review on future thrust in agro-ecotoxicology management

This review examines the growing body of evidence on how microplastics and nanoplastics affect plant health, soil microbial communities, and agricultural productivity. The study highlights that plastic accumulation in agricultural soils can alter crop growth and yield while disrupting soil ecosystem dynamics, and calls for greater attention to agro-ecotoxicology management to address these emerging threats to food production.

2025 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Greening agriculture as a response to climate change: a case study from China over 2000–2021

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research; it assesses green agriculture development and carbon efficiency in China's Qinghai Province from 2000 to 2021 using economic and environmental modeling, with no connection to plastic pollution.

2024 Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems 2 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Assess the Sustainability of Intercropping Systems in the Transgangetic Plains of Punjab, Specially Focusing on the Intercropping of Maize (Zea mays L.) with Black Gram (Vigna mungo) and French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

An intercropping experiment in Punjab found that growing maize with black gram or French bean improved overall land productivity and nitrogen transfer from legumes to cereals. While not related to microplastics, the study evaluates sustainable farming practices that could reduce reliance on synthetic inputs, including plastic-based agricultural materials.

2023 Journal of Food Chemistry and Nanotechnology
Article Tier 2

Quantification and identification of microplastics in organic fertilizers: the implication for the manufacture and safe application

Researchers measured microplastic contamination in 23 commercial organic fertilizers, finding widespread presence at levels that could meaningfully contribute to agricultural soil pollution when fertilizers are applied. The results raise concerns about organic fertilizers as an underappreciated pathway for microplastics entering farm soils and the food system.

2022 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The abundance, characteristics and distribution of microplastics (MPs) in farmland soil—Based on research in China

This review analyzed microplastic contamination in farmland soil across China and found that fertilizer use and plastic mulch film are the biggest contributors, increasing soil microplastic levels by 170% and 232% respectively. The most common types found were polyethylene and polypropylene fragments and fibers. These findings are concerning because microplastics in farm soil can be taken up by crops and enter the human food supply.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 92 citations