Agronomic practices and road proximity drive plastic pollution in agricultural soils: Insights from Bihar, India on weathering, elemental association, and ecological risk.

The widespread use of plastics in agriculture, particularly through mulching and polyhouse practices, has intensified concerns over soil contamination. However, limited research has addressed how spatial factors and agronomic practices, such as proximity to roads and mulching, influence macroplastics (MaP) and microplastics (MP) distribution in agricultural soils, particularly in India. This study assessed plastic contamination across 22 sites in six districts of Bihar, revealing mean MaP concentrations of 7.

Sulfur-modified tea-waste biochar improves rice growth in arsenic contaminated soil and reduces arsenic accumulation.

Arsenic (As) is a non-essential carcinogenic metalloid and an issue of concern for rice crops. This study investigated the effects of sulfur-loaded tea waste biochar (TWB) due to modification with sodium sulfide (SSTWB) or thiourea (TUTWB) on As stress and accumulation in rice plants. The results showed that sulfur-modified TWB improved plant morphology compared to plants grown in As-contaminated soil alone.

An assessment of various potentially toxic elements and associated health risks in agricultural soil along the middle Gangetic basin, India.

The present study analysed the levels of potentially toxic elements along with physico-chemical properties of agricultural soil samples (n = 59) collected from fields situated along the path of river Ganga in the middle Gangetic floodplain in two districts, Ballia and Ghazipur. Arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) levels were analysed by Wavelength Dispersive-X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (WD-XRF) and the associated health risks along with diverse indices were calculated. The mean concentrations of As, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn and Ni were found to be 15, 42, 85, 18, 87 and 47 mg kg, respectively in Ballia and 13, 31, 73, 22, 77 and 34 mg kg, respectively in Ghazipur.