Microplastic Shape, Polymer Type, and Concentration Affect Soil Properties and Plant Biomass

Microplastics may enter the soil in a wide range of shapes and polymers. However, little is known about effects that microplastics different shapes, polymers, concentration have on properties plant performance. To address this, we selected 12 representing (fibers, films, foams, fragments) mixed them each with at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4%. A phytometer ( Daucus carota ) grew pot during 4 weeks. Shoot, root mass, aggregation, microbial activity were measured. All increased biomass. Shoot mass by ?27% fibers, ?60% ?45% ?54% fragments, as fibers hold water for longer, films decrease bulk density, foams fragments can increase aeration macroporosity, which overall promote By contrast, all decreased aggregation ?25% introduce fracture points into aggregates due to potential negative biota. The latter also explain with, example, polyethylene films. Our findings show shape, polymer type, are key when studying microplastic terrestrial systems.