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REVIEW article

Front. Plant Sci.

Sec. Plant Nutrition

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1621542

This article is part of the Research TopicInterplay Between Plant Nutrient Uptake and Abiotic StressView all 4 articles

MICROPLASTIC EFFECTS ON SOIL NITROGEN STORAGE, NITROGEN EMISSIONS, AND AMMONIA VOLATILIZATION IN RELATION TO SOIL HEALTH AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY: MECHANISM AND FUTURE CONSIDERATION

Provisionally accepted
Umair  SarfrazUmair Sarfraz1Yin Sen  QianYin Sen Qian1Qiaoqiao  YuQiaoqiao Yu1Yifan  CaoYifan Cao1Xiaoyi  JiangXiaoyi Jiang1Nida  MahreenNida Mahreen2Rongrong  TaoRongrong Tao1Quan  MaQuan Ma1Min  ZhuMin Zhu1,3Jinfeng  DingJinfeng Ding1,3Chunyan  LiChunyan Li1,3Wenshan  GuoWenshan Guo1,3,4Xinkai  ZhuXinkai Zhu1,3,4*
  • 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China, Yangzhou, China
  • 2Horticulture Research Institute Ayyub Agriculture Research Institute Faisalabad Pakistan, Faisalbad Punjab, Pakistan
  • 3Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China, Yangzhou, China
  • 4Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China, Yangzhou, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Microplastic contamination in agricultural soils is emerging as a significant environmental challenge due to its detrimental effects on soil health, nitrogen cycling, and crop productivity. This review paper synthesizes current knowledge on the impacts of various microplastics, specifically polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polypropylene (PP), on agricultural systems, with a particular focus on their interactions with nitrogen dynamics and ammonia volatilization processes. Microplastics enter agricultural soils through multiple sources, including plastic mulching, irrigation, and application of biosolids, leading to alterations in soil physical and chemical properties, nutrient availability, and microbial activity.These changes negatively influence critical soil processes such as nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification, thereby reducing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and increasing ammonia volatilization. Consequently, these disturbances manifest in reduced crop growth and productivity, particularly affecting crops such as wheat. This review also explores biochar as a promising remediation strategy, highlighting its potential to mitigate microplasticinduced disruptions in soil ecosystems by improving soil structure, enhancing nitrogen retention, and reducing ammonia emissions. However, the paper identifies significant knowledge gaps, including the need for standardized methodologies and long-term field studies to understand the cumulative impacts of microplastics comprehensively. To address microplastic pollution effectively, integrated approaches combining scientific research, sustainable agricultural practices, and robust policy frameworks are recommended. This will ensure agricultural sustainability, soil fertility, and food security amidst growing environmental concerns.

Keywords: Microplastic pollution, Nitrogen Cycle, ammonia volatilization, Soil health, Biochar remediation

Received: 01 May 2025; Accepted: 05 Aug 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Sarfraz, Qian, Yu, Cao, Jiang, Mahreen, Tao, Ma, Zhu, Ding, Li, Guo and Zhu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Xinkai Zhu, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China, Yangzhou, China

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