Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: An Emerging Threat to Soil Health, Microbial Ecology, Crop Productivity, and Food Safety

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that these particles can disrupt soil microbial communities, harm plant health, and potentially enter the human food chain. The study highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to address this growing but often overlooked form of pollution in farmland.

2025 International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as pollutants in agricultural soils

This review examines how microplastics end up in agricultural soils through sewage sludge application, wastewater irrigation, plastic mulch films, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that microplastics interact with soil organisms and can alter soil structure and microbial communities, but standardized detection methods are still lacking. The study highlights the need for research on how microplastics move through soil, their effects on crop health, and global policies to address this growing agricultural concern.

2020 Environmental Pollution 747 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soils: sources, impacts, and mitigation strategies

This review summarizes how microplastics enter agricultural soils through wastewater irrigation, plastic mulch breakdown, and atmospheric deposition, where they alter soil structure, microbial communities, and water retention. The particles can also carry heavy metals and organic pollutants into the food chain, threatening both crop productivity and human health, making it important to reduce plastic use in farming and improve waste management.

2025 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Tiny toxins, big problems: the hidden threat of microplastic in agroecosystems

This review examines the impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, covering sources from plastic mulch and irrigation, effects on soil structure, water retention, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling, and consequences for crop health and food safety.

2025 Plant Science Today
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soils

This review covers the presence of microplastics in agricultural soils, examining how plastic mulches, irrigation water, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition contribute to farmland contamination. It discusses effects on soil organisms and the risk of microplastics entering the food chain through crops.

2019 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis and Effects of Microplastics in the Agricultural Soils

This review summarizes current knowledge about microplastic contamination in agricultural soils, including how it gets there (mulch films, sewage sludge, irrigation) and what effects it has on soil health. The authors highlight the lack of standardized methods for sampling and testing soil, which limits understanding of the true extent of the problem.

2021 Proceedings of the World Congress on New Technologies
Review Tier 2

Origin, Occurrence and Threats of Microplastics in Agricultural Soils: A Comprehensive Review

This review examined microplastic sources, occurrence, and ecological impacts in agricultural soils globally, identifying mulching films, sewage sludge, and fertilizers as major input pathways. The authors document harmful effects on soil microbiota, earthworms, and plant growth, and call for better monitoring and mitigation strategies.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

The impact of microplastics on soil ecosystems: A review

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in soil from sources like sewage sludge, agricultural plastic mulch, and wastewater, and how they affect soil ecosystems. Evidence indicates that microplastics alter soil physical and chemical properties, disrupt microbial communities and enzyme activity, and can harm plant growth and soil organisms. The authors highlight that soil microplastic pollution has received far less research attention compared to aquatic environments, despite its potential consequences for agriculture and food safety.

2024 International Journal of Research in Agronomy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A comparative study of soil microplastic pollution sources: a review

This review compares the major sources of microplastics in agricultural soils, including plastic mulch films, fertilizers, irrigation water, sewage sludge, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that plastic mulch films and sewage sludge are the most significant contributors, though the relative importance varies by region and farming practices. The study highlights the need for standardized measurement methods to better compare microplastic levels across different soil environments.

2023 Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as contaminants in the soil environment: A mini-review

This mini-review examines microplastic contamination in soil environments, an area that has received far less attention than marine pollution. Researchers found that agricultural practices like plastic mulch use and sewage sludge application are major sources of soil microplastics. The study highlights that soil microplastics can harm plant growth, alter soil organisms, and potentially enter the food chain through crop uptake.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 710 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulation in agricultural soil: Evidence for the presence, potential effects, extraction, and current bioremediation approaches

This review examines the accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soils from sources like plastic mulching and irrigation, discussing their effects on soil properties and crop growth, along with current bioremediation approaches for removing soil microplastics.

2022 Journal of Applied Biology & Biotechnology 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Sources, environmental fate, and impacts of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils: A comprehensive review

This review examines how microplastics from fertilizers, irrigation, and atmospheric fallout are contaminating agricultural soils worldwide. Once in the soil, microplastics interact with soil organisms, disrupt plant growth, and can carry other harmful chemicals deeper into the environment. Because these tiny plastics can move up the food chain, they represent a growing threat to both food safety and human health.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 115 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agriculture- a Review

This review examines the growing presence of microplastics in agricultural environments, covering their sources from plastic mulch films and irrigation water, their effects on soil health and crop quality, and the implications for food safety and sustainable agriculture.

2025 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research
Article Tier 2

Current research trends on microplastics pollution and impacts on agro-ecosystems: A short review

This review summarizes current research on microplastic pollution in agricultural ecosystems, covering sources, effects, toxicity, and potential solutions. Researchers found that while most microplastic studies have focused on marine environments, agricultural soils are also significantly contaminated through sources like plastic mulch film, sewage sludge, and irrigation water, with potential impacts on soil health and crop production.

2021 Separation Science and Technology 65 citations
Review Tier 2

Sources, pollution, and ecological impacts of soil microplastics-A review

A comprehensive review summarized the sources, distribution, and ecological impacts of microplastics in soil environments, synthesizing evidence on how plastics affect soil organisms, structure, and agricultural productivity. The review calls for urgent policy action to address soil microplastic contamination as a threat to food security.

2025 Environmental chemistry and safety 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution modulating soil biological health – A review

This review summarizes how microplastics enter agricultural soil through recycled water, fertilizer made from sewage, and plastic mulch, and how they affect the organisms that keep soil healthy. Microplastics can carry chemical additives and environmental pollutants that harm soil bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates. These disruptions to soil health could affect crop growth and food quality, creating an indirect pathway for microplastics to impact human nutrition.

2025 Soil Use and Management 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Traversing the prevalence of microplastics in soil-agro ecosystems: Origin, occurrence, and pollutants synergies

This review comprehensively examines microplastic contamination in soil and agricultural ecosystems, covering their origins from sources like plastic mulch, sewage sludge, and irrigation water. Researchers analyzed how microplastics interact synergistically with other pollutants including heavy metals and pesticides in soil environments. The study highlights that the long-term implications of microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils remain uncertain and warrant further investigation to protect food safety.

2024 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Agricultural Soil and Their Impact: A Review

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils through sources like plastic mulch films, sewage sludge, and fertilizers. The particles can affect soil structure, microbial activity, and plant health, with common polymer types including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene found across farmland. The study emphasizes the need for better plastic waste management to protect agricultural ecosystems from growing microplastic contamination.

2024 Nature Environment and Pollution Technology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Research Progress on Source Analysis, Ecological Effects, and Separation Technology of Soil Microplastics

This review synthesizes recent progress on soil microplastic sources (primarily agricultural plastic mulch and wastewater irrigation), ecological impacts on soil structure and microbial communities, and available separation and detection technologies for assessing contamination.

2025 Microplastics
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soils: a review of possible sources, analytical methods and ecological impacts

This review of over 60 studies examines the sources, global distribution, and analytical methods for microplastics in soil, finding that agricultural soils are particularly contaminated via sewage sludge application, plastic mulch, and atmospheric deposition. The authors call for standardized extraction and identification protocols to enable cross-study comparisons.

2020 Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 242 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Soil: Inventories, Effect and Environmental Risks

This review synthesizes global evidence on microplastic contamination of agricultural soils, covering input pathways (mulch films, sludge, irrigation), environmental risks to soil structure and organisms, and the broader implications for ecosystem services and food security.

2025 Sustainability Sciences in Asia and Africa
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in agricultural soils: a new challenge not only for agro-environmental policy?

This review addresses microplastic pollution in agricultural soils, identifying farming practices like mulching and sludge application as significant sources and discussing potential impacts on soil health and food safety. It calls for both policy action and more research on microplastic behavior in terrestrial environments.

2019 AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) 5 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

Characteristics and Migration Dynamics of Microplastics in Agricultural Soils

This review summarizes 30 years of research on microplastic pollution in agricultural soils, covering how these particles enter farmland through mulch films, irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition. Researchers found that microplastics can alter soil structure, affect microbial communities, and influence crop growth in various ways. The study highlights the need for standardized methods to measure and manage microplastic contamination in farming systems.

2024 Agriculture 20 citations