Due to their beneficial properties, plastics are widely distributed and used across numerous industries and sectors worldwide. As a consequence of its mass use, microplastics are generated, which, due to their small size and persistence, also enter various ecosystems, such as soils where we grow food, and subsequently make their way into water. In recent years, the number of studies on the impacts of microplastics has increased significantly. Findings indicate that plastic particles affect soil properties, such as reducing water retention capacity and creating drier conditions, influencing nutrient cycling and soil structure by altering pores. Microplastics can physically hinder water absorption by seeds and prevent roots from accessing nutrients. It is important to consider that different types of plastics, their sizes, shapes, and soil properties affect plants differently. Microplastics alone may not cause significant harm, but in combination with heavy metals and pesticides, they act synergistically - as carriers of these potentially harmful substances - thereby further increasing possible negative effects on plants and transfer into the food chain. In nature, microplastics are unevenly distributed in soils, as their transport occurs through various natural factors (wind, water, living organisms). Consequently, plants respond differently to the presence of microplastics, mainly in terms of morphological traits. To reduce the input of microplastics into soils, the following measures could be implemented: using natural materials instead of plastics, improving wastewater treatment facilities with microplastic detection, and introducing vermicomposting (using earthworms) to decrease the amount of microplastics in compost.
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