Summary
This narrative review examines the emerging evidence base (2020–2022) on microplastic contamination as a soil health threat, documenting observed alterations to soil structure, water infiltration and retention, and microbial community dynamics. The authors note that whilst the mechanistic pathways and field-scale effects are increasingly documented, the agronomic consequences and food safety risks remain incompletely characterised. The work contributes to positioning microplastic contamination as a relevant consideration in soil health monitoring and land management policy frameworks.
UK applicability
UK soils are subject to microplastic inputs from agricultural plastic films, sewage sludge application, and atmospheric deposition; this review's synthesis of contamination pathways and soil property impacts is directly relevant to UK soil quality assessment and sustainable farming policy. Regulatory and land stewardship frameworks may need to integrate microplastic monitoring once field-scale risk protocols are established.
Key measures
Soil structure properties, soil water dynamics, microbial community composition, soil function metrics
Outcomes reported
The review synthesises evidence on how microplastic particles alter soil physical properties, water retention and movement, and soil microbial community composition and function. The paper assesses the state of knowledge on agronomic and food safety implications of microplastic soil contamination as of 2022.
Topic tags
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