MICROPLASTIC CONTAMINATION AND SOIL HEALTH DEGRADATION IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Microplastic contamination has emerged as an important environmental threat to agricultural soil health and sustainable crop production. This study examined the effects of microplastic contamination on the physical, chemical, and biological dimensions of soil health and assessed their consequences for crop productivity in agricultural ecosystems of Pakistan. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed using a multistage sampling approach, with data collected from 400 agricultural farms across selected agro-ecological regions. Microplastic contamination was assessed through soil sampling and laboratory analysis, while soil physical, chemical, and biological health and crop productivity were evaluated using standardized measures. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis. The findings indicated that microplastic contamination significantly and negatively affected soil physical, chemical, and biological health, with the strongest effect observed for biological health. Soil health dimensions were positively associated with crop productivity, whereas microplastic contamination demonstrated a significant negative direct effect on productivity. Mediation analysis further indicated that soil health partially mediated the relationship between microplastic contamination and crop productivity. The findings highlight the need to integrate microplastic management into sustainable soil-health strategies, agricultural practices, environmental monitoring, and policy development in Pakistan.