Microplastic pollution in agricultural environments: Origins, impacts, and mitigation strategies

Abstract

Microplastic contamination is an important global issue that has been increasing rapidly due to the increased application of plastic-based commodities in various sectors, in particular, agriculture, healthcare, personal care products, construction, textiles, etc. The waste generated through these sectors majorly remains unmanaged or mismanaged leading to the contamination of the terrestrial environment. Among various sectors, agriculture largely contributes to this problem owing to the intentional use of plastic-based products or unintentional application of contaminated materials. Plastics reaching to soil are migrated and disintegrated into small micro-size fragments leading to microplastic pollution. Migration is influenced by the number of soil characteristics, soil biota activities, and/or management choices, whereas transformation occurs via photo-degradation, microbial degradation, and/or mechanical abrasion. Microplastics on disintegration releases harmful additives and monomers in soil and act as carriers of toxic compounds, inducing serious risk toward living organisms. The ubiquitous occurrence of micro-sized plastic in agricultural ecosystems, mismanagement of waste, and the associated risk have ignited global concern. Thus, management of microplastic pollution is crucial, which requires an integrated approach at the individual as well as community level. Moreover, involvement of government, stakeholders, and policy-makers is crucial to meet the increasing challenge of microplastic pollution.