Experts issue urgent warning after discovering hidden threat lurking in soil — here's what you need to know

Microplastics have long been understood to be a global contaminant, but their impact on black soil has remained largely under-researched and unclear. 

For this reason, researchers publishing in the Journal of Hazardous Materials conducted a meta-analysis of 337 cases from 33 studies to understand the impact of microplastics on black soil health, and the results are sadly unsurprising. 

What's happening?

According to the measurements used in the study, microplastics lead to a significant decrease, 12.09%, in black soil health. Microplastics can actually alter the microbial composition of the soil, which diminishes the health of soil microorganisms. 

With the microbial composition altering from the presence of microplastics, it was found that oxidative stress was caused on soil animals like earthworms and also negatively affected plant germination. 

This research shows that the severity of the impact that microplastics can have on soil depends on specific factors, such as the size of the microplastics. Smaller microplastics tend to have a stronger negative impact on soil health when compared to larger ones, while the presence of more microplastics leads to bigger problems. Meanwhile, longer exposure can result in more harmful effects on the soil. 

Why is microplastic education important?

This meta-analysis showed that microplastics have a negative impact on not only soil, but also other natural materials and creatures, which makes understanding microplastics' impact on our earth vital. 

Separately, experts from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences in China co-published a report on how hazardous microplastics are to humans, detailing that their presence can lead to issues in the body, such as DNA damage, organ dysfunction, and neurotoxicity. 

There is no shortage of scientific evidence linking microplastics to possible negative impacts for both humans and the planet — though the understandings around human health effects are still evolving. Education around the impact of microplastics matters, as it helps us understand how to better protect the environment, wildlife, human health, and ultimately Earth's future. 

What's being done about microplastics?

The Journal of Hazardous Materials article touched on the importance of further research into biodegradable plastics, better waste management, and policies to protect soil health from microplastic contamination. 

The most effective solutions to combat the negative impact of microplastics are to work on reducing overall plastic use and to invest in the creation of safer alternatives.

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