Microplastics interaction with terrestrial plants and their impacts on agriculture

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) are widespread in natural ecosystems and have attracted considerable attention from scientists all over the world because they are believed to threaten every life form. In addition to their potential physical and chemical effects on organisms, MPs may act as a carrier for many micropollutants, including antibiotics, heavy metals, and others. Over the last 10-15 yr, extensive research has been carried out on MPs in marine environments regarding their sources, fate, and toxicity.However, studies concerning their accumulation in the soil ecosystem, uptake, internalization, and impacts on photosynthetic components of the terrestrial ecosystem and risk assessments have been scanty. Thus, there is a large knowledge gap on the extent to which terrestrial environments, especially agroecosystems, are affected by MPs and their subsequent risks to human health. This review summarizes up-to-date findings about MPs on terrestrial environments and provides guidelines for future studies regarding the phytotoxic effects of MPs on plants; the mechanism of uptake and translocation in plant tissues; detection tools for MPs in plants; impacts on plant growth, plant development, and agricultural productivity; and, most important, the future prospects of MPs interaction and accumulation in plants.This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Authentication of Microplastic Accumulation in Customary Fruits and Vegetables

“…Microplastics is easily penetrate through seeds, roots, stems, leaves, fruits and plant cells because of their size and type under controlled conditions the uptake of microplastics has been reported. MPs can pass through plant cell walls and membrane barriers, obstruct cell pores and cause cell death that can be reported by Raza Ullah et al (2021). Li et al (2019) had reported polystyrene MPs can be transfer and accumulated in the roots of raw vegetables and transmitted from root to shoot tissues.…”

“…While, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are the main sources of microplastics accumulation in plant and soil was reported in Raza Ullah et al (2021). Pietra et al (2019) reported microplastics were present in mineral fertilizer.…”

Proactive approach to minimize lithium pollution

“…Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1963 for their discoveries in the field of the chemistry of high polymers. Although highly beneficial, in the last few decades plastic debris and microplastic have become widespread in the ocean, farmlands, table salt, and drinking water, to name a few (Ullah et al., 2021; Yu et al., 2018; Zhang et al., 2020). In addition, there are many emerging contaminants such as PFAS, PPCPs, polychlorinated biphenyl, and nanomaterials that have been introduced and already reached dangerous levels in the environments (Boxall et al., 2012; Crone et al., 2019; Zhao et al., 2021).…”

Activities of Microplastics (MPs) in Agricultural Soil: A Review of MPs Pollution from the Perspective of Agricultural Ecosystems

“…Plastics dumped into the environment are converted into microplastics (MPs) by thermal decomposition, physical wear, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and wind. 1 MPs, generally defined as plastics <5 mm in size, have been a global problem of growing concern. Because of their ubiquitity, size, source, chemical composition, and many interactions with biological and abiotic factors in all ecosystems, microplastics exact several direct and indirect impacts on the ecosystem.…”

“…Plastics dumped into the environment are converted into microplastics (MPs) by thermal decomposition, physical wear, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and wind . MPs, generally defined as plastics <5 mm in size, have been a global problem of growing concern.…”