Table 2.

Information of the effect of specific polymers on the microbial activity. Data represents the microbial activity (+reference), the soil type and composition, the type of polymer (PA Polyamide, PVC Polyvinyl chloride, PP Polypropylene, PS polystyrene, PET polyethylene terephthalate and PE Polyethylene), the polymer size and increase or decrease of the activity (% decrease or increase added when available in the original manuscript).

Microbial activity Reference	Soil type	Soil composition	Polymer type	Polymer size	Increase/Decrease activity
FDA [123], [126], [162]	Unpolluted shrub field, China	Not defined	PVC	20 mm × 20 mm	Decrease (−1.6% up to −30.7%)
	Top loess soil, China	18.4% clay 25.0% silt 55.9% sand	PP	180 µm	Increase
	Experimental site, Freie Universität Berlin	Sandy loam	PA, Polyester, PE	Beads: 8–20 µm Fragments: 643 µm	Decrease for PA and PES
Dehydrogenase [163], [164]	Unpolluted shrub field, China	Not defined	PVC	20 mm × 20 mm	Decrease (−14.9 up to −59.0%)
	Not defined	Silt loam	PS	69.5 ± 0.5 nm	Increase until day 14 Decrease at day 28
N-(leucineaminopeptidase) cycle [164]	Not defined	Silt loam	PS	69.5 ± 0.5 nm	Decrease
C-(β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase) cycle [163], [164]	Not defined	Silt loam	PS	69.5 ± 0.5 nm	Decrease
	Top loess soil, China	18.4% clay 25.0% silt 55.9% sand	PP	20 mm × 20 mm	No consistent effect
P-(alkaline-phosphatase) cycle [164]	Not defined	Silt loam	PS	69.5 ± 0.5 nm	Decrease
Urease activity [163], [165]	Cinnamon soil, China	35.7% clay 46.8% silt 17.5% sand	PE	2 mm × 2 mm	Increase (+175% up to +234%)
	Top loess soil China	18.4% clay 25.0% silt 55.9% sand	PP	20 mm × 20 mm	No consistent effect
Catalase activity [165]	Cinnamon soil, China	35.7% clay 46.8% silt sand 17.5% sand	PE	2 mm × 2 mm	Increase (+139% up to +149%)
Invertase activity [165]	Cinnamon soil, China	35.7% clay 46.8% silt 17.5% sand	PE	2 mm × 2 mm	No consistent effect
Phosphatase activity [163]	Top loess soil China	18.4% clay 25.0% silt 55.9% sand	PP	20 mm × 20 mm	Increase