Microplastics in the agricultural soils: Pollution behavior and subsequent effects

Abstract

AbstractMicroplastics (MPs), as a class of organic pollutants, pose numerous threats to soil. Their accumulation in agricultural soils has garnered significant attention due to the unknown impacts and risks they bring to agricultural production processes. This paper analyzes the source and distribution of MPs in farmland, systematically summarizes the accumulation, adsorption, migration, decomposition, and other pollution behaviors of MPs in farmland soil environment, in detail discusses the effects of microplastic (MP) pollution on soil physicochemical properties and soil microbial communities, outlines the main hazards they pose to agricultural crops, animals, and farmland soil enzyme activities, as well as the potential health risks of MPs to humans. The results indicate that MPs have been widely distributed in the agricultural soil environment through physics, chemistry, and carriers' activities, facilitating the transfer of substances between the environment and endangering the health of the ecological environment. MPs can also transfer along the food chain from low to high nutritional levels, posing a potential threat to human food safety. Finally, the future research direction and content of farmland MPs are put forward, providing relevant information and research ideas for understanding the MP pollution in farmland soil and future research directions.