PAID ACCESS | Published on : 01-Apr-2026 | Pages: 145-154 | Doi : 10.37446/edibook222025/145-154
The increasing production and widespread use of plastics have led to the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in agricultural soils. Agricultural land has recently been recognized as a major sink for microplastics due to the extensive use of plastic materials such as mulch films, irrigation systems, polymer-coated fertilizers, and the application of sewage sludge, biosolids, and wastewater irrigation. The presence of microplastics in soil has raised growing environmental concerns because of their potential impacts on soil health, ecosystem functioning, and agricultural sustainability. This chapter reviews the major sources and pathways of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils and examines their migration and distribution within soil systems. It further evaluates the effects of microplastics on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Microplastics can alter soil structure, bulk density, pore distribution, water-holding capacity, and hydraulic conductivity. Chemically, they influence soil pH, nutrient availability, and the sorption behavior of contaminants through mechanisms such as hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Biologically, microplastics may affect plant growth, root morphology, microbial communities, and symbiotic interactions such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi colonization. In addition, soil fauna including earthworms, nematodes, and other invertebrates may ingest microplastics, leading to physiological stress, reduced growth, and impaired reproduction. Microplastics may also accumulate in plant tissues and potentially enter the food chain, posing risks to food safety and ecosystem stability. Overall, the growing presence of microplastics in agricultural soils represents a significant threat to soil quality and sustainable crop production. Continued monitoring, improved waste management practices, and further research are necessary to better understand the long-term ecological consequences of microplastic pollution and to develop effective mitigation strategies for protecting soil ecosystems.
Microplastic, soil health, soil ecosystem, soil contamination, migration, sources
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