Nature – He et al. (2026): Impacts of microplastics on terrestrial soil carbon dynamics
Gang He, Mingzhu Lu, Yuyi Yang, Quanfa Zhang, Wenzhi Liu & Matthias C. Rillig, IN: Nature Geoscience, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01935-0
Growing concerns about plastic pollution and climate change worldwide are driving research into the effects of microplastics on carbon cycling. Although the impacts of microplastics on soil organic carbon (SOC) levels and carbon emissions have been demonstrated, their role in SOC sequestration remains understudied. Here they discuss how interactions between microplastics and organic matter may affect SOC sequestration through biological, geochemical and physical processes. Microplastics and co-occurring contaminants alter SOC content and quality by leaching dissolved organic matter (DOM) and affecting native SOC mineralization.