Hazards of Microplastic Pollution in Agriculture
摘要
Microplastics (MPs) are small pieces of plastic debris that are less than 5 mm in size. MP pollutants come from a variety of sources, including: physio-chemical degradation of general plastic debris, farm application of MPs contaminated sewage sledges, plastic sheeting that is used to protect crops from weeds and pests, application of plastic-coated fertilizers and pesticides, plastic-based packaging, such as bags and bottles, can end up in agricultural fields when they are blown away from landfills or other waste disposal sites. MPs can have a number of negative effects on agriculture. They can reduce crop yields by blocking the uptake of water and nutrients, contaminate food crops, which can pose a risk to human health, harm soil organisms which play an important role in nutrient cycling. Therefore, the hazards of microplastic pollution in agriculture are a growing concern. Combatting with MP pollution is really a challengeable task, unless, all the government, private and public sector groups work together with the well-planned strategies. Therefore, this chapter intends to present the hazardous effect of MPs in various biotic components of the agroecosystem; and the legislative policy frameworks and advanced depth scientific research needed to mitigate from the MP hazards in terrestrial environment.