Soil salinization is a significant threat to soil health, especially to the agricultural ecosystem; it reduces vegetation biomass, destroys ecosystem diversity, and limits land use efficiency. This area of investigation has garnered extensive attention in China, especially in the arid and semi-arid areas, totaling 7.66 × 10⁶ ha. A variety of theoretical research and technology developments have contributed to soil water and salt regulation and the screening of salt-tolerant varieties to improve nutrient utilization efficiency and microbial control and reduce ecological problems due to saline-based obstacles. These techniques can be classified into physical treatments, chemical treatments, biological treatments, and combined treatments; these different measures are all aimed at primarily solving saline–alkali stress. In general, the improvement and utilization of saline–alkali soil contribute to soil health improvement, concentrating on high-quality development, food security, ecological security, cultivated land protection, and agricultural upgrading. However, the risks of various technologies in the practical production process should be highlighted; green and healthy measures are still expected to be applied to saline–alkali land.

Reflective agricultural films are widely used in vegetable production and orchards to repel pests, accelerate fruit ripening, and boost yields. These films, composed of a plastic base metallized with aluminum (Al), degrade over time in soil, releasing Al and microplastics. This study investigated the aging and weathering of Al-coated reflective films (polyethylene terephthalate, PET-based) under UV radiation, simulated rainfall, and soil burial for up to 120 days, assessing the effects of released Al and microplastics on soil chemistry and microbial communities. Weathering was confirmed by the formation of C-O/CO functional groups, an increasing carbonyl index, and the oxidation of Al to Al₂O₃, as shown by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Faster Al-coated shedding and PET oxidation were observed in the soil environment. Microplastics (0.5 % w/w) from the films reduced soil micronutrient availability (Fe, Mn, Cu), suppressed functional genes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling, and shifted microbial communities towards oligotrophic bacteria enrichment (e.g., RB41, Candidatus_Udaeobacter, Gemmatimonadetes, and Chloroflexi) while reducing copiotrophic bacteria (e.g., Sphingomonas, Ellin6067, Dongia, Puia, and Flavisolibacter). Therefore, these findings highlight that reflective film weathering strongly alters soil nutrient content and microbial community composition, with potential implications for soil health and agricultural sustainability.