Untangling MicroPlastic impacts on Biological Nitrogen Fixation (MPBNF)

Microplastic contamination has emerged as a global concern and the MPs contamination in aquatic systems has been studied widely in recent years. However, the impact of MPs on the terrestrial ecosystem, especially farmland soils, and their impact on crop growth remains largely unknown. A significant knowledge gap is the impact of MPs on biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), which is a key process in legume plants to acquire nitrogen fertilizer from nature. Impairment of this process will lead to reduced yield or increased chemical fertilizer input and disruption in the nitrogen cycling process. However, the effects of MPs on BNF in agriculture, particularly in a major crop food such as soybean, and its impact on crop yield, are nearly unknown. The precise quantification of microplastics in soil-plant systems is presently hampered due to the different types, shapes, and sizes of microplastics in the real environment. MPBNF is well placed to address this knowledge gap by labeling bio and non-bio-MPs with different sizes and shapes using rare earth elements, which allows us to trace the uptake of MPs in plants. Additionally, the potential pathways of impacts caused by MPs on the biological responses of BNF and soybean plants will be investigated in detail.