Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastic and heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils of Ernakulam District, Kerala, India

Researchers measured microplastic and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils across five farmlands in Kerala, India, finding higher pollution levels near commercial and urban areas. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the most common plastic types, and several heavy metals exceeded safe levels. The combined presence of microplastics and heavy metals in farmland soil is concerning because both contaminants can be taken up by crops, potentially affecting the safety of food grown in these areas.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Study of the presence of microplastic particles and heavy metals in street dust on the right side of Mosul city / Iraq

Researchers analyzed microplastic particles and heavy metal concentrations in street dust samples collected from residential, commercial, and industrial areas on the right bank of Mosul city in Iraq. The study assessed the combined pollution burden and potential environmental health risks associated with microplastic and heavy metal co-contamination in urban street dust.

2025 Maǧallaẗ abḥāṯ kulliyyaẗ al-tarbiyaẗ al-asāsiyyaẗ/Mağallaẗ abḥāṯ kulliyyaẗ al-tarbiyaẗ al-asāsiyyaẗ
Article Tier 2

An Investigation of Microplastic Occurrence and Heavy Metals Concentrations in Street Dust on the Left Side of Mosul City, Iraq

Street dust collected from Mosul, Iraq contained microplastic particles across residential, commercial, and industrial zones, alongside elevated concentrations of heavy metals. The co-occurrence of microplastics and toxic metals in urban dust is a concern for human health, as both can be inhaled or ingested by city residents, particularly children.

2024 Journal of Ecological Engineering 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastic, metals associated and ecological risk assessment in the topsoil of shiraz metropolis, south west of Iran

Researchers surveyed topsoil across the city of Shiraz, Iran and found microplastics in all sample types, with urban soils containing roughly three times more particles than industrial or agricultural soils. Fragments and small particles between 100 and 250 micrometers were the most common forms detected. The study also found that metals like lead, zinc, and copper tend to accumulate on microplastic surfaces, potentially increasing the ecological risk these particles pose.

2023 Chemosphere 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of soil microplastics: An overview on toxicity, effects on heavy metals adsorption, solid-phase extraction, and detection techniques

This review examined how microplastics in soil enter the food chain and pose human health risks, with particular attention to their role as carriers for heavy metals. Agricultural practices like plastic mulching and sewage sludge application were identified as major sources of soil MP contamination.

2025 Sustainable Environment
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastics and Associated Heavy Metals in Urban Soils Affected by Anthropogenic Littering: Distribution, Spatial Variation, and Influence of Soil Properties

Researchers sampled soils across residential, commercial, and industrial land-use types in urban areas and found microplastics in every location, with polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide as the dominant polymer types, at concentrations up to 850,000 particles per kilogram. Heavy metals were also associated with the plastic particles, meaning microplastics in urban soil may serve as combined carriers of chemical toxicants. The findings highlight urban soil as a major but underappreciated reservoir of microplastic pollution.

2023 Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal 13 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review on Microplastic in the Soils and Their Impact on Soil Microbes, Crops and Humans

This review examines microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, detailing how microplastic particles act as vectors for toxic organic pollutants and heavy metals, disrupting soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, crop growth, and ultimately entering the human food chain.

2022 International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of soil characteristics and agricultural practices on microplastic concentrations in sandy soils and their association with heavy metal contamination

Researchers studied microplastic contamination in agricultural soils that use plastic mulch in arid regions and found significantly higher concentrations in mulched fields compared to control sites. They identified eight different polymer types and found that microplastic levels increased with the duration of mulching use, with heavy metals like iron and nickel accumulating on the plastic particles. The study highlights how agricultural plastic use contributes to long-term soil contamination and the potential for microplastics to serve as carriers of metal pollutants in farmland.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution pattern and risk assessment of microplastics contamination in different agricultural systems

Researchers surveyed microplastic contamination in agricultural soils across six sites in Coimbatore, India with distinct farming practices, finding microplastics in 81% of organic matter-removed samples. The study revealed that different agronomic inputs and land management practices produce distinct microplastic contamination profiles.

2024 International Journal of Environmental & Analytical Chemistry 9 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

An evaluation on microplastic accumulations in Turkish soils under different land uses

Researchers analyzed 55 soil samples from agricultural and urban areas across three Turkish regions, finding higher microplastic concentrations in agricultural soils (averaging 193 particles/kg) than urban soils, with polyethylene fibers under 1 mm dominating both land use types.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 44 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in the agricultural soil—mitigation strategies, heavy metals contamination, and impact on human health: a review

This review examines how microplastics contaminate agricultural soil through plastic mulch, irrigation water, and fertilizers, then alter soil chemistry, harm beneficial microorganisms, and reduce crop productivity. The authors highlight that microplastics can accumulate in crops and enter the human food chain, posing risks to food safety and human health, particularly through daily food and water consumption.

2024 Plant Cell Reports 81 citations
Article Tier 2

A critical review of co-pollution of microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soil environments

This review examines how microplastics and heavy metals frequently occur together in agricultural soil, where they interact in ways that can increase the toxicity of both. These co-contaminants can harm soil organisms, reduce crop productivity, and potentially enter the human food chain, making their combined presence in farmland a growing concern for food safety and health.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the impacts of microplastics on agricultural soil physical, chemical properties, and toxic metal availability: An emerging concern for sustainable agriculture

This study tested how five common types of microplastics affect soil properties and heavy metal availability in agricultural soil over 90 days. Microplastics changed soil structure, nutrient levels, and water-holding capacity, and actually reduced the availability of toxic heavy metals at higher plastic concentrations -- highlighting the complex ways plastic pollution is altering the farmland that produces our food.

2025 PLoS ONE 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Plastic-Mulched Sandy Soil: Abundance, Characterization, Heavy Metal Accumulation and Risks in Agricultural Fields

This study characterized microplastics in plastic-mulched sandy soils, quantifying particle abundance, polymer types, heavy metal associations, and potential risks to soil organisms from combined plastic and metal contamination.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Macro and microplastics in the soil: abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions under different land uses in an agricultural sub-basin

Researchers examined the abundance, characterization, identification, and interactions of macro- and microplastics in soils under different land uses within an agricultural sub-basin, assessing how land-use patterns influence plastic pollution distribution and potential interactions with the soil environment.

2025 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

Abundance, distribution, and ecological risks of microplastics in urban and agricultural topsoil of Mian-Ab Plain, Iran

Researchers mapped microplastic contamination across 102 soil samples in an arid Iranian plain using GIS mapping and advanced spectroscopy, finding the highest concentrations near urban centers and an average of nearly 12 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil. Children faced roughly double the estimated ingestion exposure compared to adults, and the dominant plastic types — PET, polystyrene, polypropylene, and nylon — pointed to mixed household and agricultural sources.

2025 Discover Applied Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of microplastics in soil: Occurrence, analytical methods, combined contamination and risks

This review provides a comprehensive overview of microplastic pollution in soil ecosystems, covering sources, detection methods, and ecological impacts. Researchers found that soils are major reservoirs for microplastics, and the study highlights how combined contamination with other pollutants like heavy metals and pesticides may amplify risks to soil organisms and food safety.

2022 Environmental Pollution 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and Analysis of Microplastics in Farmland Soils: Characterization, Sources, and Pathways

This study quantified and characterized microplastics in farmland soils from multiple sites, identifying agricultural mulch films, irrigation water, and compost as major sources and documenting widespread soil contamination across different farming regions.

2021 Agriculture 99 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Soil Heavy Metal Pollution and Health Risks in Chenzhou City

Researchers analyzed 600 soil samples in Chenzhou City, China, and found that while most areas had low to moderate heavy metal contamination, about 3% of samples showed high ecological risk from metals like mercury and cadmium near industrial zones. While focused on heavy metals rather than microplastics, the study is relevant because microplastics in soil can absorb and transport these same toxic metals, potentially increasing human exposure through crops grown in contaminated areas.

2024 Processes 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecological risk assessment of microplastics in agricultural soils of Coimbatore region, India

Researchers assessed the ecological risk of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils near Coimbatore, India, and found that soils treated with inorganic fertilizers had the highest risk levels. While overall pollution loads were categorized as low, the types of plastics found (including PVC and polystyrene) pushed risk scores into the extremely dangerous category due to their potential toxicity. The study raises concerns about how farming practices may be introducing hazardous microplastics into the soil where food is grown.

2024 Natural Resources for Human Health 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Research of New Pollutant Microplastics in Soil

This review summarizes microplastic pollution in agricultural soils, covering sources, abundance, transport pathways, and interactions with heavy metals and organic pollutants. The authors highlight that soil microplastic contamination is a growing threat to food security and soil ecosystem health.

2021 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 4 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic Contamination in Agricultural Soils Across India: A Systematic Review of Studies and Research Gaps

This systematic review examines microplastic contamination in agricultural soils across India, an area that has received far less attention than waterways. The research identifies polluted irrigation water, industrial discharge, and plastic mulch as key contamination sources, raising concerns about microplastics entering the food supply through crops grown in contaminated soil.

2025 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of soil heavy metal pollution and associated ecological risk of agriculture dominated mid-channel bars in a subtropical river basin

This study assessed heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils on river islands in India's Damodar River basin. While current contamination levels were generally low to moderate, the analysis showed these soils have high potential for future heavy metal buildup. Although focused on heavy metals rather than microplastics, this research is relevant because agricultural soils are increasingly recognized as reservoirs for multiple pollutants, including both metals and microplastics, that can enter the food chain.

2023 Scientific Reports 64 citations