Effects of micro- and nanoplastics on soil microbial activity and soil functions

Plastic pollution is becoming one of the biggest environmental problems. New evidence suggests that terrestrial ecosystems are large reservoirs of plastics, specifically micro- and nanoplastics, but their origin, occurrence and fate are mostly unknown. According to recent studies microplastics might negatively influence soil organisms´s performance by reducing their fitness, much less is known about the impact of microplastics on soil microorganisms. Considering that soil microbial communities are responsible for fundamental soil processes such as nutrient cycling and carbon storage, and that the accumulation and potential toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics in soils can affect their habitat and therefore their functions, there is a strong call for investigation.