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Environmental Science

Microplastic Impacts on Soil Fertility and Earthworm Activity

Quick fact

Earthworms exposed to high concentrations of microplastics (e.g., 1% by weight) can lose up to 30% of their body weight and reduce their burrowing activity, directly impacting soil aeration and nutrient cycling.

Why this is interesting

Each year, thousands of tons of plastic fragments accumulate in agricultural soils, and we're just beginning to understand how these tiny particles affect the creatures that keep our soil healthy. But could something as small as a microplastic really disrupt the entire soil ecosystem?