Tanushree Basumatary, Ritama Dey, Amy R. Nava, Yulia Irnidayanti, Mahesh Narayan, Hemen Sarma
Microplastics (MPs) (< 5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs) (< 100 nm) are emerging contaminants in agroecosystems, introduced primarily through irrigation, atmospheric deposition, and soil amendments. These particles compromise plant health and soil function by interfering with nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and redox balance. MPs can induce root shortening, oxidative stress, and cytogenetic abnormalities, while NPs, due to their small size and high surface reactivity, cause more pronounced genotoxic and biochemical disturbances. Growing concern also surrounds biodegradable microplastics (BMPs), which degrade into micro- and nanoplastics with comparable toxicity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the uptake, translocation, and physiological effects of MPs, NPs, and BMPs in plants, focusing on oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance, and nutrient disruption. It further evaluates emerging remediation strategies, including microbial degradation, phytoremediation, and photocatalysis for mitigating plastic-induced stress. Key knowledge gaps regarding the accumulation of plastic particles in crops and their implications for food safety and ecosystem integrity are also highlighted. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
Department of Botany, Bodoland University, (BTR), Assam, Kokrajhar, 783370, India; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, 94305, CA, United States; Department of Biology, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Rawamangun Muka, East Jakarta, 13220, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, 79968, TX, United States
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