Micro- and Nanoplastics in Agroecosystems: Plant Uptake, Food Safety, and Implications for Human Health

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are being found, with growing frequency, in agroecosystems, where soils function as major sinks and direct interfaces with food crops. This review shows an integrated soil–plant–food analytical framework and synthesizes evidence on MNPs behavior in soils (dispersion, aging, aggregation), plant uptake pathways (root vs. foliar, including atmospheric deposition), tissue translocation, and plant physiological responses. Across crop species and exposure conditions, convergent patterns included oxidative stress, disruption of nutrient homeostasis, impaired photosynthesis, and growth penalties, with magnitude modulated by particle size, polymer type, and surface chemistry within specific soil–plant contexts. Occurrence of MNPs in edible tissues of leafy, root, and fruit vegetables is critically appraised, as well as its implications for food safety and potential dietary exposure. Key uncertainties persist, including heterogeneous analytical methods, scarce long-term field datasets, and limited alignment between laboratory doses and environmental concentrations. These constraints translate into priorities for exposure assessment and risk governance, including the need for standardized metrics, harmonized quality criteria, and field-scale monitoring aligned with agronomic practices. By re-centering the analysis on crops and food systems while acknowledging human exposure implications, the review provides a decision-oriented basis for research and mitigation.