Researchers have discovered a surprising link between microplastics, soil microbes, and climate shifts, according to Chemical & Engineering News. 

What's happening?

A recent experiment has shown that an increased diversity of microplastics in soil creates a spike in a particular family of bacteria, Rhodocyclaceae. In this experiment, the soil with five different types of microplastics tested higher for pH levels and organic carbon, and lower for available nitrogen, after 40 days, compared to the soils with fewer microplastics. 

Microplastics are frequently introduced into agriculture by way of fertilizers, either via controlled release or passed on through biosolid sludge.  

Why are microplastics important?

"If microbial denitrification is accelerated, the consequences are twofold," explained report author Dong Zhu of the Institute of Urban Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, per Chemical & Engineering News.

Nitrogen is a vital nutrient for soil. Crops will draw nitrogen out as they grow, while crops like soy rotate in afterward to pull nitrogen back in. Fertilizer can supplement this nitrogen fixing, but it's caustic enough to cause damage to soil health, and the runoff can choke marine environments. Recent research suggests that fertilizer can be less effective with increased Rhodocyclaceae using the nitrogen instead of plants.   

While researchers still need further testing to confirm this conclusion, the reduction of soil nitrogen likely means it's escaping into the atmosphere thanks to the help of Rhodocyclaceae. This could be a release of nitrous oxide, which is another deeply damaging heat-trapping gas. 

An increase in nitrous oxide could contribute further to destructive weather patterns like droughts, heat waves, and floods, which are already wreaking havoc on farmers and raising grocery prices. 

Besides their potential knock-on effects on emissions, microplastics can enter human food supply chains. Here, they introduce a range of endocrine, immune, circulatory, digestive, renal, and reproductive health risks when ingested, according to a growing body of research. 

What's being done about microplastics?

New strains of wheat could allow more plants to fix nitrogen themselves, eliminating the need for harsh fertilizers and the microplastics that come with them.  

In general, using less plastic can help minimize the damage it does to health and the environment. In particular, paint is the top contributor to microplastics in the ocean, according to one study. 

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