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Microplastic exposure reduces plant biomass and chlorophyll content with no detectable safety advantage for biodegradable polymers

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Biodegradable plastics are increasingly promoted as environmentally preferable substitutes for conventional polyethylene, yet whether the microplastics they release are less harmful to plants remains unresolved. We systematically reviewed and meta-analysed 31 studies (323 effect sizes) comparing biodegradable and conventional microplastics for effects on terrestrial plant growth, chlorophyll content and genotoxicity, using random-effects models with robust variance estimation. Microplastic exposure significantly reduced plant biomass and growth (− 19.2%, 95% CI [− 29.5, − 7.3]) and chlorophyll content (− 19.5%, 95% CI [− 30.4, − 6.8]). Reductions were numerically larger for biodegradable than for conventional microplastics (biomass − 22.1% vs. − 13.3%; chlorophyll − 26.8% vs. − 10.1%), but the between-class difference was not statistically significant. Co-exposure with heavy metals or other stressors more than doubled the biomass reduction (− 40.1% vs. − 16.2%). Aged biodegradable microplastics showed a non-significant trend towards genotoxic and cytotoxic responses, based on only two to three studies. Heterogeneity was extreme (I 2 ≈ 96–100%), but effects were robust in sensitivity analyses. These results provide no evidence that biodegradable microplastics are safer for plants than conventional ones, although a non-significant difference is not evidence of equivalence; co-occurring stressors intensify phytotoxicity, and ageing may introduce genotoxic potential, pending confirmation. These findings bear directly on environmental evaluation of biodegradable mulch films.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-79160-3
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W7225741889
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