Tiny Pollutants, Big Consequences: Understanding the Impact of Micro- and Nanoplastics on Soil and Plant Health
While plastic pollution in oceans has long captured public attention, a quieter crisis is unfolding on land — one that directly affects the soil beneath our feet and the food we grow. In a recent review, MAGNO researcher Wael Hamd explores the growing scientific concern over microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly their effects on soil properties and plant health.
This issue, increasingly recognised as a priority under the United Nations Agenda 2030, represents a critical knowledge gap in environmental sustainability — one with significant implications for agriculture, biodiversity, and food security.
What the Review Covers
This review compiles and critically analyses recent studies — primarily from the past five years — on how MPs and NPs affect plant and soil systems. It begins by outlining how plastic particles are absorbed and translocated within plants, and then details their influence on key physiological processes such as growth, germination, oxidative stress, and nutrient uptake.
The review also highlights that not all plastics have the same effects: the impact depends heavily on factors like polymer type (e.g. PE, PS, PVC, PLA, PES), particle size and shape, concentration, degradability, and whether the plastics are contaminated with heavy metals.
In parallel, it explores how these pollutants alter the physical, chemical, and microbial characteristics of soils, potentially affecting fertility, structure, and biological activity — all vital for healthy crop development and ecosystem balance.
Mitigation Strategies: What Can Be Done?
The review examines current mitigation approaches, ranging from physical and chemical treatments to emerging biological processes that aim to reduce the presence or impact of MPs and NPs in soil.
However, it also makes clear that these strategies are still limited in scope and application. Further research — both in controlled laboratory settings and in real-world field conditions — is urgently needed to understand their effectiveness, long-term viability, and broader ecological implications.
The Path Forward: Knowledge Gaps and Urgent Needs
One of the key takeaways from the review is how much we still don’t know. Questions remain around the ecotoxicological effects, the long-term behaviour of plastic particles in complex soil systems, and how they interact with other environmental stressors.
Addressing these knowledge gaps is crucial not only for mitigating harm, but for guiding policy, regulation, and sustainable innovation — particularly in sectors like agriculture and food packaging.
This article is based on the review by Wael Hamd, originally published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. All rights to the original work remain with the author and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/em/d4em00688g/unauth
