Summary
This international narrative review addresses microplastics as an emerging contaminant class in agricultural soils, synthesising evidence on sources, environmental behaviour, and potential agronomic and ecological consequences. The work fills a knowledge gap regarding microplastic accumulation pathways specific to farmed land, distinct from the established literature on marine microplastics. As an early contribution to understanding soil contamination risks in food production systems, it provides foundational synthesis during a period of heightened scientific focus on synthetic polymer pollution in terrestrial environments.
Regional applicability
The review's synthesis of microplastic sources (including synthetic fertilisers, compost, irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition) and soil behaviour mechanisms is relevant to UK farming systems. UK policy and regulatory frameworks for soil contaminants and food safety may benefit from the identification of knowledge gaps and recommended research priorities, particularly regarding limits on microplastic accumulation in cultivated soils.
Key measures
Qualitative synthesis of microplastic sources, soil behaviour, transport mechanisms, and agronomic/ecological effects in agricultural contexts
Outcomes reported
This narrative review synthesises evidence on microplastic sources, environmental behaviour, and potential agronomic and ecological consequences in agricultural soils. The paper documents accumulation pathways specific to farmed land and identifies knowledge gaps regarding microplastic contamination risks in food production systems.
Topic tags
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