1
|
Lara-Topete GO, Castanier-Rivas JD, Bahena-Osorio MF, Krause S, Larsen JR, Loge FJ, Mahlknecht J, Gradilla-Hernández MS, González-López ME. Compounding one problem with another? A look at biodegradable microplastics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 944:173735. [PMID: 38857803 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Environmental concerns about microplastics (MPs) have motivated research of their sources, occurrence, and fate in aquatic and soil ecosystems. To mitigate the environmental impact of MPs, biodegradable plastics are designed to naturally decompose, thus reducing the amount of environmental plastic contamination. However, the environmental fate of biodegradable plastics and the products of their incomplete biodegradation, especially micro-biodegradable plastics (MBPs), remains largely unexplored. This comprehensive review aims to assess the risks of unintended consequences associated with the introduction of biodegradable plastics into the environment, namely, whether the incomplete mineralization of biodegradable plastics could enhance the risk of MBPs formation and thus, exacerbate the problem of their environmental dispersion, representing a potentially additional environmental hazard due to their presumed ecotoxicity. Initial evidence points towards the potential for incomplete mineralization of biodegradable plastics under both controlled and uncontrolled conditions. Rapid degradation of PLA in thermophilic industrial composting contrasts with the degradation below 50 % of other biodegradables, suggesting MBPs released into the environment through compost. Moreover, degradation rates of <60 % in anaerobic digestion for polymers other than PLA and PHAs suggest a heightened risk of MBPs in digestate, risking their spread into soil and water. This could increase MBPs and adsorbed pollutants' mobilization. The exact behavior and impacts of additive leachates from faster-degrading plastics remain largely unknown. Thus, assessing the environmental fate and impacts of MBPs-laden by-products like compost or digestate is crucial. Moreover, the ecotoxicological consequences of shifting from conventional plastics to biodegradable ones are highly uncertain, as there is insufficient evidence to claim that MBPs have a milder effect on ecosystem health. Indeed, literature shows that the impact may be worse depending on the exposed species, polymer type, and the ecosystem complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gary Ossmar Lara-Topete
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Laboratorio de Sostenibilidad y Cambio Climático, Av. General Ramón Corona 2514, Zapopan, Jalisco 45138, Mexico
| | - Juan Daniel Castanier-Rivas
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Laboratorio de Sostenibilidad y Cambio Climático, Av. General Ramón Corona 2514, Zapopan, Jalisco 45138, Mexico
| | - María Fernanda Bahena-Osorio
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Laboratorio de Sostenibilidad y Cambio Climático, Av. General Ramón Corona 2514, Zapopan, Jalisco 45138, Mexico
| | - Stefan Krause
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua R Larsen
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Frank J Loge
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America; Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Jürgen Mahlknecht
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Misael Sebastián Gradilla-Hernández
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Laboratorio de Sostenibilidad y Cambio Climático, Av. General Ramón Corona 2514, Zapopan, Jalisco 45138, Mexico
| | - Martín Esteban González-López
- Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Laboratorio de Sostenibilidad y Cambio Climático, Av. General Ramón Corona 2514, Zapopan, Jalisco 45138, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tian M, Qiao B, Xu Z, Liang Q, Xie X, Chen K, Zhang Y, Zhao C, Li C. Invasion of Trifolium repens L. aggravated by biodegradable plastics: adjustable strategy for foraging N and P. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 474:134777. [PMID: 38824777 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
The invasion of alien plant and the pollution caused by soil microplastics have emerged as significant ecological threats. Recent studies have demonstrated aggravating effect of non-biodegradable microplastics on plant invasion. However, the impact of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) on plant invasion remains unclear. Therefore, it is imperative to explore the impact of BMPs on plant invasion. In this study, a 30-day potting experiment with Trifolium repens L. (an invasive plant) and Oxalis corniculata L. (a native plant) was conducted to evaluate the influence of BMPs on T. repens's invasion. The findings revealed that BMPs results in a reduction in available N and P contents, thereby facilitating the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on T. repens 's roots. Consequently, T. repens adjusted its N and P foraging strategy by increasing P absorption ratio, and enhancing the accumulation of N and P in leaves. This ultimately led to the decrease of relative neighbor effect index of T. repens, indicating an aggravated invasion by T. repens. This study significantly enhances and expands the understanding of mechanisms by which microplastics aggravate plant invasion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengfei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Bin Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Ziqi Xu
- Pharmacy College, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang 157000, China
| | - Qi Liang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xiaofei Xie
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Kuiwang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yaru Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Chunjian Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Chunying Li
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Resource Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ecological Utilization of Forestry-based Active Substances, Harbin 150040, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Qi R, Jones DL, Tang Y, Gao F, Li J, Chi Y, Yan C. Regulatory path for soil microbial communities depends on the type and dose of microplastics. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 473:134702. [PMID: 38788589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
To reveal the feedbacks and regulating mechanisms of microplastic types and doses on microbial community, a microcosm experiment was carried out with two non-degradable microplastics [polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)] and four biodegradable microplastics [poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), and polypropylene carbonate (PPC)] at different levels (1 %, 7 %, and 28 %). As a result, the content of total carbon (TC), soil organic carbon (SOC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) (expect MBC in PBS soil) increased with increasing doses of microplastics, and increased at the lowest PE dose rate. Biodegradable microplastics created a more active ecological niche while enriching more pathogens than non-degradable microplastics. Structural equation modeling indicated that microbial diversities were in a type-dependent assembly, whereas microbial compositions were more profoundly affected by the microplastic doses, ultimately. The standardized total effect coefficient of microplastic types on bacterial and fungal diversities was - 0.429 and - 0.282, and that of doses on bacterial and fungal compositions was 0.487 and 0.336, respectively. Both microplastic types and doses significantly impacted pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, TC, SOC, and MBC, subsequently inhibiting microbial diversities and stimulating microbial compositions with particular pathways. The results provide a comprehensive understanding for evaluating the potential risk of microplastics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruimin Qi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK; SoilsWest, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Yuanyuan Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Fengxiang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry CAS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yihan Chi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Changrong Yan
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100081, China; Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Convertino F, Carroccio SC, Cocca MC, Dattilo S, Dell'Acqua AC, Gargiulo L, Nizzetto L, Riccobene PM, Schettini E, Vox G, Zannini D, Cerruti P. The fate of post-use biodegradable PBAT-based mulch films buried in agricultural soil. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 948:174697. [PMID: 39019280 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
The fate of black biodegradable mulch film (MF) based on starch and poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) in agricultural soil is investigated herein. Pristine (BIO-0) and UV-aged film samples (BIO-A192) were buried for 16 months at an experimental field in southern Italy. Visual, physical, chemical, morphological, and mechanical analyses were carried out before and after samples burial. Film residues in the form of macro- and microplastics in soil were analyzed at the end of the trial. Progressive deterioration of both pristine and UV-aged samples, with surface loss and alterations in mechanical properties, occurred from 42 days of burial. After 478 days, the apparent surface of BIO-0 and BIO-A192 films decreased by 57 % and 66 %, respectively. Burial determined a rapid depletion of starch from the polymeric blend, especially for the BIO-A192, while the degradation of the polyester phase was slower. Upon burial, an enrichment of aromatic moieties of PBAT in the film residues was observed, as well as microplastics release to soil. The analysis of the MF degradation products extracted from soil (0.006-0.008 % by mass in the soil samples) revealed the predominant presence of adipate moieties. After 478 days of burial, about 23 % and 17 % of the initial amount of BIO-0 and BIO-A192, respectively, were extracted from the soil. This comprehensive study underscores the complexity of biodegradation phenomena that involve the new generation of mulch films in the field. The different biodegradability of the polymeric components, the climate, and the soil conditions that did not strictly meet the parameters required for the standard test method devised for MFs, have significantly influenced their degradation rate. This finding further emphasizes the importance of implementing field experiments to accurately assess the real effects of biodegradable MFs on soil health and overall agroecosystem sustainability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabiana Convertino
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Sabrina Carola Carroccio
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB), Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Cocca
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB), Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy
| | - Sandro Dattilo
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB), Catania, Italy
| | | | - Luca Gargiulo
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB), Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy
| | - Luca Nizzetto
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway; Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Paolo Maria Riccobene
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB), Catania, Italy
| | - Evelia Schettini
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
| | - Giuliano Vox
- Department of Soil, Plant and Food Science, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Domenico Zannini
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies "G. Natta" (CNR-SCITEC), Genova, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Cerruti
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (CNR-IPCB), Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chen M, Dai S, Chen D, Chen H, Feng N, Zheng D. Unveiling the translational dynamics of lychee (Litchi chinesis Sonn.) in response to cold stress. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:686. [PMID: 38992605 PMCID: PMC11241792 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10591-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cold stress poses a significant threat to the quality and productivity of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.). While previous research has extensively explored the genomic and transcriptomic responses to cold stress in lychee, the translatome has not been thoroughly investigated. This study delves into the translatomic landscape of the 'Xiangjinfeng' cultivar under both control and low-temperature conditions using RNA sequencing and ribosome profiling. We uncovered a significant divergence between the transcriptomic and translatomic responses to cold exposure. Additionally, bioinformatics analyses underscored the crucial role of codon occupancy in lychee's cold tolerance mechanisms. Our findings reveal that the modulation of translation via codon occupancy is a vital strategy to abiotic stress. Specifically, the study identifies ribosome stalling, particularly at the E site AAU codon, as a key element of the translation machinery in lychee's response to cold stress. This work enhances our understanding of the molecular dynamics of lychee's reaction to cold stress and emphasizes the essential role of translational regulation in the plant's environmental adaptability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Chen
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524008, China.
- National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, South China, Zhanjiang, 524008, China.
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen, 518108, China.
| | - Shuangfeng Dai
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524008, China
- National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, South China, Zhanjiang, 524008, China
| | - Daming Chen
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524008, China
- National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, South China, Zhanjiang, 524008, China
| | - Haomin Chen
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524008, China
- National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, South China, Zhanjiang, 524008, China
| | - Naijie Feng
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524008, China.
- National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, South China, Zhanjiang, 524008, China.
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen, 518108, China.
| | - Dianfeng Zheng
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524008, China.
- National Saline-Tolerant Rice Technology Innovation Center, South China, Zhanjiang, 524008, China.
- Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, Shenzhen, 518108, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yu H, Liu H, Yang K, Xi B, Tan W. Differential carbon accumulation of microbial necromass and plant lignin by pollution of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics in soil. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 358:124504. [PMID: 38968987 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
The wide microplastics (MPs) occurrence affects soil physicochemical and biological properties, thereby influencing its carbon cycling and storage. However, the regulation effect of MPs on soil organic carbon (SOC) formation and stabilization remains unclear, hindering the accurate prediction of carbon sequestration in future global changes under continuous MP pollution. Phospholipid fatty acids, amino sugars and lignin phenols were used in this study as biomarkers for microbial community composition, microbial necromass and plant lignin components, respectively, and their responses to conventional (polyethylene; PE) and biodegradable (polylactic acid; PLA) MPs were explored. Results showed PLA MPs had positive effects on soil microbial biomass, while the positive and negative effects of PE MPs on microbial biomass varied with MP concentration. PE and PLA MPs increased microbial necromass contents and their contribution to SOC, mainly due to the increase in fungal necromass. On the contrary, PE and PLA MPs reduced lignin phenols and their contribution to SOC, mainly owing to the reduction in vanillyl-type phenols. The response of microbial necromass to PLA MPs was higher than that to PE MPs, whereas the response of lignin phenols was the opposite. MPs increased SOC level, with 83%-200% and 50%-75% of additional SOC in PE and PLA treatments, respectively, originating from microbial necromass carbon. This finding indicates that the increase in SOC pool in the presence of MPs can be attributed to soil microbial necromass carbon, and MPs increased capacity and efficacy of microbial carbon pump by increasing microbial turnover and reducing microbial N limitation. Moreover, the increase in amino sugars to lignin phenols ratio in PE treatment was higher than that in PLA treatment, and the increase in SOC content in PLA treatment was higher than that in PE treatment, indicating a high possibility of SOC storage owing to PLA MPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, and State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; School of Resources and Environment Engineering, Mianyang Teachers' College, Mianyang, 621000, China; School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Haixia Liu
- School of Resources and Environment Engineering, Mianyang Teachers' College, Mianyang, 621000, China
| | - Ke Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, and State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Beidou Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, and State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Wenbing Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, and State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang D, Xiong F, Wu L, Liu Z, Xu K, Huang J, Liu J, Ding Q, Zhang J, Pu Y, Sun R. A progress update on the biological effects of biodegradable microplastics on soil and ocean environment: A perfect substitute or new threat? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118960. [PMID: 38636648 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Conventional plastics are inherently difficult to degrade, causing serious plastic pollution. With the development of society, biodegradable plastics (BPs) are considered as an alternative to traditional plastics. However, current research indicated that BPs do not undergo complete degradation in natural environments. Instead, they may convert into biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) at an accelerated rate, thereby posing a significant threat to environment. In this paper, the definition, application, distribution, degradation behaviors, bioaccumulation and biomagnification of BPs were reviewed. And the impacts of BMPs on soil and marine ecosystems, in terms of physicochemical property, nutrient cycling, microorganisms, plants and animals were comprehensively summarized. The effects of combined exposure of BMPs with other pollutants, and the mechanism of ecotoxicity induced by BMPs were also addressed. It was found that BMPs reduced pH, increased DOC content, and disrupted the nitrification of nitrogen cycle in soil ecosystem. The shoot dry weight, pod number and root growth of soil plants, and reproduction and body length of soil animals were inhibited by BMPs. Furthermore, the growth of marine plants, and locomotion, body length and survival of marine animals were suppressed by BMPs. Additionally, the ecotoxicity of combined exposure of BMPs with other pollutants has not been uniformly concluded. Exposure to BMPs induced several types of toxicity, including neurotoxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity and genotoxicity. The future calls for heightened attention towards the regulation of the degradation of BPs in the environment, and pursuit of interventions aimed at mitigating their ecotoxicity and potential health risks to human.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daqin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Fei Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lingjie Wu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhihui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jiawei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Jinyan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qin Ding
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rongli Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Labor and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang J, Jia M, Zhang L, Li X, Zhang X, Wang Z. Biodegradable microplastics pose greater risks than conventional microplastics to soil properties, microbial community and plant growth, especially under flooded conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 931:172949. [PMID: 38703848 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradable plastics (bio-plastics) are often viewed as viable option for mitigating plastic pollution. Nevertheless, the information regarding the potential risks of microplastics (MPs) released from bio-plastics in soil, particularly in flooded soils, is lacking. Here, our objective was to investigate the effect of polylactic acid MPs (PLA-MPs) and polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs) on soil properties, microbial community and plant growth under both non-flooded and flooded conditions. Our results demonstrated that PLA-MPs dramatically increased soil labile carbon (C) content and altered its composition and chemodiversity. The enrichment of labile C stimulated microbial N immobilization, resulting in a depletion of soil mineral nitrogen (N). This specialized environment created by PLA-MPs further filtered out specific microbial species, resulting in a low diversity and simplified microbial community. PLA-MPs caused an increase in denitrifiers (Noviherbaspirillum and Clostridium sensu stricto) and a decrease in nitrifiers (Nitrospira, MND1, and Ellin6067), potentially exacerbating the mineral N deficiency. The mineral N deficit caused by PLA-MPs inhibited wheatgrass growth. Conversely, PE-MPs had less effect on soil ecosystems, including soil properties, microbial community and wheatgrass growth. Overall, our study emphasizes that PLA-MPs cause more adverse effect on the ecosystem than PE-MPs in the short term, and that flooded conditions exacerbate and prolong these adverse effects. These results offer valuable insights for evaluating the potential threats of bio-MPs in both uplands and wetlands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Minghao Jia
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Long Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaona Li
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xiaokai Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, School of Environmental and Ecology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yan Z, Lin S, Hu R, Cheng H, Xiang R, Xu H, Zhao J. Effects of biodegradable microplastics and straw addition on soil greenhouse gas emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124315. [PMID: 38848959 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Large pieces of plastic are transformed into microplastic particles through weathering, abrasion, and ultraviolet radiation, significantly impacting the soil ecosystem. However, studies on biodegradable microplastics replacing traditional microplastics as agricultural mulching films to drive the biogeochemical processes influenced by GHG are still in their initial stages, with limited relevant reports available. This study sought to investigate the effects of microplastic and straw addition on CO2 and N2O emissions in different soils. Herein, yellow-brown soil (S1) and fluvo-aquic soil (S2) were utilized, each treated with three different concentrations of PLA (polylactic acid) microplastics (0.25%, 2%, and 7% w/w) at 25 °C for 35 days, with and without straw addition. The results showed that straw (1% w/w) significantly increased soil CO2 by 4.1-fold and 3.2-fold, respectively, and N2O by 1.8-fold and 1.8-fold, respectively, in cumulative emissions in S1 and S2 compared with the control. PLA microplastics significantly increased CO2 emissions by 71.5% and 99.0% and decreased N2O emissions by 30.1% and 24.7% at a high concentration (7% w/w, PLA3) in S1 and S2 compared with the control, respectively. The same trend was observed with the addition of straw and microplastics together. Structural equation modeling and redundancy analysis confirmed that soil physiochemical parameters, enzyme and microbial activities are key factors regulating CO2 and N2O emissions. The addition of microplastics is equivalent to the addition of carbon sources, which can significantly affect DOC, MBC, SOC and the abundance of carbon-associated bacteria (CbbL), thereby increasing soil CO2 emissions. The addition of microplastics alone inhibited the activity of nitrogen cycling enzymes (urease activity), increasing the abundance of denitrifying microbes. However, adding a high amount of microplastics and straw together released plastic additives, inhibiting microbial abundance and reducing the nitrogen cycle. These effects decreased NH4+-N and increased NO3--N, resulting in decreased N2O emissions. This study indicates that biodegradable microplastics could reduce soil plastic residue pollution through degradation. However, their use could also increase CO2 emissions and decrease N2O emissions. Consequently, this research lays the groundwork for further investigation into the implications of utilizing biodegradable microplastics as agricultural mulch, particularly concerning soil geochemistry and GHG emissions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Yan
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China
| | - Shan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China.
| | - Ronggui Hu
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China
| | - Hongguang Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, China
| | - Rongbiao Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China
| | - Han Xu
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China
| | - Jinsong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nizzetto L, Binda G, Hurley R, Baann C, Selonen S, Velmala S, van Gestel CAM. Comments to "Degli-Innocenti, F. The pathology of hype, hyperbole and publication bias is creating an unwarranted concern towards biodegradable mulch films" [J. Hazard. Mater. 463 (2024) 132923]. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:133690. [PMID: 38336580 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Some narratives present biodegradable plastic use for soil mulching practices in agriculture as "environmentally friendly" and "sustainable" alternatives to conventional plastics. To verify these narratives, environmental research recently started focusing on their potential impact on soil health, highlighting some concerns. The paper by Degli-Innocenti criticizes this unfolding knowledge arguing that it is affected by communication hypes, alarmistic writing and a focus on exposure scenarios purposedly crafted to yield negative effects. The quest of scientists for increased impact - the paper concludes - is the driver of such behavior. As scholars devoted to the safeguarding of scientific integrity, we set to verify whether this serious claim is grounded in evidence. Through a bibliometric analysis (using number of paper reads, citations and mentions on social media to measure the impact of publications) we found that: i) the papers pointed out by Degli-Innocenti as examples of biased works do not score higher than the median of similar publications; ii) the methodology used to support the conclusion is non-scientific; and iii) the paper does not fulfil the requirements concerning disclosure of conflicts of interests. We conclude that this paper represents a non-scientific opinion, potentially biased by a conflict of interest. We ask the paper to be clearly tagged as such, after the necessary corrections on the ethic section have been made. That being said, the paper does offer some useful insights for the definition of exposure scenarios in risk assessment. We comment and elaborate on these proposed models, hoping that this can help to advance the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Nizzetto
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway; Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Gilberto Binda
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway; DISAT Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Rachel Hurley
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway
| | - Cecilie Baann
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579 Oslo, Norway
| | - Salla Selonen
- Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Mustialankatu 3, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sannakajsa Velmala
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Cornelis A M van Gestel
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wang Y, Zhao C, Lu A, Dong D, Gong W. Unveiling the hidden impact: How biodegradable microplastics influence CO 2 and CH 4 emissions and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) profiles in soil ecosystems. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134294. [PMID: 38669928 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradable plastics promise eco-friendliness, yet their transformation into microplastics (bio-MPs) raises environmental alarms. However, how those bio-MPs affect the greenhouse gases (GHGs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil ecosystems remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the effects of diverse bio-MPs (PBAT, PBS, and PLA) on GHGs and VOCs emission in typical paddy or upland soils. We monitored the carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes in-situ using the self-developed portable optical gas sensor and analyzed VOC profiles using a proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). Our study has revealed that, despite their biodegradable nature, bio-MPs do not always promote soil GHG emissions as previously thought. Specifically, PBAT and PLA significantly increased CO2 and CH4 emissions up to 1.9-7.5 and 115.9-178.5 fold, respectively, compared to the control group. While PBS exhibited the opposite trend, causing a decrease of up to 39.9% for CO2 and up to 39.9% for CH4. In addition, different types of bio-MPs triggered distinct soil VOC emission patterns. According to the Mann-Whitney U-test and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), a recognizable VOC pattern associated with different bio-MPs was revealed. This study claims the necessity of considering polymer-specific responses when assessing the environmental impact of Bio-MPs, and providing insights into their implications for climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yihao Wang
- Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China; School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Chunjiang Zhao
- Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Anxiang Lu
- Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Daming Dong
- Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China.
| | - Wenwen Gong
- Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Woodford L, Fellows R, White HL, Ormsby MJ, Quilliam RS. Salmonella Typhimurium and Vibrio cholerae can be transferred from plastic mulch to basil and spinach salad leaves. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31343. [PMID: 38818200 PMCID: PMC11137414 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution is increasingly found in agricultural environments, where it contaminates soil and crops. Microbial biofilms rapidly colonise environmental plastics, such as the plastic mulches used in agricultural systems, which provide a unique environment for microbial plastisphere communities. Human pathogens can also persist in the plastisphere, and enter agricultural environments via flooding or irrigation with contaminated water. In this study we examined whether Salmonella Typhimurium and Vibrio cholerae can be transferred from the plastisphere on plastic mulch to the surface of ready-to-eat crop plants, and subsequently persist on the leaf surface. Both S. Typhimurium and V. cholerae were able to persist for 14 days on fragments of plastic mulch adhering to the surface of leaves of both basil and spinach. Importantly, within 24 h both pathogens were capable of dissociating from the surface of the plastic and were transferred onto the surface of both basil and spinach leaves. This poses a further risk to food safety and human health, as even removal of adhering plastics and washing of these ready-to-eat crops would not completely remove these pathogens. As the need for more intensive food production increases, so too does the use of plastic mulches in agronomic systems. Therefore, there is now an urgent need to understand the unquantified co-pollutant pathogen risk of contaminating agricultural and food production systems with plastic pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Woodford
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Rosie Fellows
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Hannah L. White
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Michael J. Ormsby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard S. Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Li Y, Yan Q, Wang J, Shao M, Li Z, Jia H. Biodegradable plastics fragments induce positive effects on the decomposition of soil organic matter. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133820. [PMID: 38382339 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The escalating accumulation of plastic waste in ecosystems poses a significant health concern to soil environment, yet the environmental effects of plastics remains largely unexplored. Biodegradable plastics could offer a viable alternative to conventional persistent plastics, but our understanding of their potential benefits or detrimental effects on the decomposition of plant debris by soil biomass is limited. In this study, we conducted a year-long field experiment to examine the environmental response and impact on plant debris decomposition in the presence of varying quantities of persistent versus biodegradable plastics. Our findings indicate that the decomposition rate decreased by 2.8-4.9% for persistent plastics, while it increased by 1.3-4.2% for biodegradable plastics. Persistent plastics primarily induced adverse effects, including a reduction in soil nutrients, microbial diversity, bioturbation, enzyme activity, easily decomposable carbon, and microbial biomass carbon in plant debris. In contrast, biodegradable plastics resulted in beneficial effects such as an increase in enzyme activity, microbial biomass carbon, and easily decomposable carbon. We also observed that the decomposition rate of plant residues and nutrient release are closely associated with changes in the organic carbon chemical structure induced by different plastic film fragments. A significant shift in alkoxy carbon content facilitated the release of nutrients and soluble carbon, while modifications in carboxyl and aromatic carbon content hindered their release. Overall, our study reveals over one year that biodegradable plastics primarily induce positive effects on the decomposition of soil organic matter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanpei Li
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Qing Yan
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Yellow River Delta Modern Agriculture, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ming'an Shao
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Yellow River Delta Modern Agriculture, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ziyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Hanzhong Jia
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hao Y, Min J, Ju S, Zeng X, Xu J, Li J, Wang H, Shaheen SM, Bolan N, Rinklebe J, Shi W. Possible hazards from biodegradation of soil plastic mulch: Increases in microplastics and CO 2 emissions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 467:133680. [PMID: 38325094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradable mulches are widely recognized as ecologically friendly substances. However, their degradation percentage upon entering soils may vary based on mulch type and soil microbial activities, raising concerns about potential increases in microplastics (MPs). The effects of using different types of mulch on soil carbon pools and its potential to accelerate their depletion have not yet well understood. Therefore, we conducted an 18-month experiment to investigate mulch biodegradation and its effects on CO2 emissions. The experiment included burying soil with biodegradable mulch made of polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and control treatments with traditional mulch (PE) and no mulch (CK). The results indicated that PE did not degrade, and the degradation percentage of PLA and PBAT were 46.2% and 88.1%, and the MPs produced by the degradation were 6.7 × 104 and 37.2 × 104 items/m2, respectively. Biodegradable mulch, particularly PLA, can enhance soil microbial diversity and foster more intricate bacterial communities compared to PE. The CO2 emissions were 0.58, 0.74, 0.99, and 0.86 g C/kg in CK, PE, PLA, , PBAT, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between microbial abundance and diversity with CO2 emissions, while a negative correlation was observed with soil total organic carbon. Biodegradable mulch enhanced the transformation of soil organic C into CO2 by stimulating microbial activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Changshu National Agro-Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ju Min
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Changshu National Agro-Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Shengrong Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Changshu National Agro-Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoping Zeng
- Jiangsu Provincial Agricultural Technology Extension Station, Nanjing 210036, China
| | - Jiyuan Xu
- National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Centre, Beijing 100026, China
| | - Jianbing Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Horticultural Crop Genetic Improvement, Institute of Vegetable Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Sabry M Shaheen
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany; King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment, and Arid Land Agriculture, Department of Arid Land Agriculture, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; University of Kafrelsheikh, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil and Water Sciences, 33 516 Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt
| | - Nanthi Bolan
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Weiming Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Changshu National Agro-Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Deng W, Wang Y, Wang Z, Liu J, Wang J, Liu W. Effects of photoaging on structure and characteristics of biofilms on microplastic in soil: Biomass and microbial community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 467:133726. [PMID: 38341883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Understanding of the environmental behaviors of microplastics is limited by a lack of knowledge about how photoaging influences biofilm formation on microplastics in soil. Here, original microplastics (OMPs) and photoaged-microplastics (AMPs) were incubated in soil to study the effect of photoaging on formation and characteristics of biofilm on the poly (butylene succinate) microplastics. Because photoaging decreased the hydrophobicity of the microplastic, the biomass of biofilm on the OMPs was nearly twice that on the AMPs in the early stage of incubation. However, the significance of the substrate on biomass in the biofilm declined as the plastisphere developed. The bacterial communities in the plastisphere were distinct from, and less diverse than, those in surrounding soil. The dominant genera in the OMPs and AMPs plastispheres were Achromobacter and Burkholderia, respectively, indicating that photoaging changed the composition of the bacterial community of biofilm at the genus level. Meantime, photoaging decreased the complexity and stability of the plastisphere bacterial community network. Results of Biolog ECO-microplate assays and functional prediction from amplicons showed that photoaging treatment enhanced the carbon metabolic capacity of the microplastic biofilm. This study provides new insights into the formation of plastispheres in soil.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Deng
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Yajing Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Zihan Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Jinxian Liu
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Canadian Light Source Inc., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2V3, Canada
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological Restoration of Loess Plateau China, Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Li X, Cheng X, Wu J, Cai Z, Wang Z, Zhou J. Multi-omics reveals different impact patterns of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the crop rhizosphere in a biofertilizer environment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 467:133709. [PMID: 38330650 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) from the incomplete degradation of agricultural mulch can stress the effectiveness of biofertilizers and ultimately affect the rhizosphere environment of crops. Yet, the involved mechanisms are poorly known and robust empirical data is generally lacking. Here, conventional polyethylene (PE) MPs and poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene terephthalate) (PBAT) / poly(lactic acid) (PLA) biodegradable MPs (PBAT-PLA BioMPs) were investigated to assess their potential impact on the rhizosphere environment of Brassica parachinensis in the presence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens biofertilizer. The results revealed that both MPs caused different levels of inhibited crop both above- and belowground crop biomass (up to 50.11% and 57.09%, respectively), as well as a significant decrease in plant height (up to 48.63% and 25.95%, respectively), along with an imbalance of microbial communities. Transcriptomic analyses showed that PE MPs mainly affected root's vitamin metabolism, whereas PBAT-PLA BioMPs mainly interfered with the lipid's enrichment. Metabolomic analyses further indicated that PE MPs interfered with amino acid synthesis that involved in crops' oxidative stress, and that PBAT-PLA BioMPs mainly affected the pathways associated with root growth. Additionally, PBAT-PLA BioMPs had a bigger ecological negative impact than did PE MPs, as evidenced by more pronounced alterations in root antioxidant abilities, a higher count of identified differential metabolites, more robust interrelationships among rhizosphere parameters, and a more intricate pattern of impacts on rhizosphere metrics. This study highlights the MPs' impact on crop rhizosphere in a biofertilizer environment from a rhizosphere multi-omics perspective, and has theoretical implications for scientific application of biofertilizers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Xueyu Cheng
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Jialing Wu
- Ecological Fertilizer Research Institute, Shenzhen Batian Ecological Engineering Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Zhonghua Cai
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Zongkang Wang
- Ecological Fertilizer Research Institute, Shenzhen Batian Ecological Engineering Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Jin Zhou
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ge XR, Zhao Y, Ren HR, Jiang FW, Liu S, Lou M, Huang YF, Chen MS, Wang JX, Li JL. Phthalate drives splenic inflammatory response via activating HSP60/TLR4/NLRP3 signaling axis-dependent pyroptosis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123610. [PMID: 38382728 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
As the most produced phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widely environmental pollutant primarily used as a plasticizer, which cause the harmful effects on human health. However, the impact of DEHP on spleen and its underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Pyroptosis is a novel form of cell death induced by activating NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes and implicated in pathogenesis of numerous inflammatory diseases. The current study aimed to explore the impact of DEHP on immune inflammatory response in mouse spleen. In this study, the male ICR mice were treated with DEHP (200 mg/kg) for 28 days. Here, DEHP exposure caused abnormal pathohistological and ultrastructural changes, accompanied by inflammatory cells infiltration in mouse spleen. DEHP exposure arouse heat shock response that involves increase of heat shock proteins 60 (HSP60) expression. DEHP also elevated the expressions of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation protein 88 (MyD88) proteins, as well as the activation of NF-κB pathway. Moreover, DEHP promoted NLRP3 inflammasome activation and triggered NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis. Mechanistically, DEHP drives splenic inflammatory response via activating HSP60/TLR4/NLRP3 signaling axis-dependent pyroptosis. Our findings reveal that targeting HSP60-mediated TLR4/NLRP3 signaling axis may be a promising strategy for inflammatory diseases treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Ran Ge
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Hao-Ran Ren
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Fu-Wei Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Shuo Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Ming Lou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Yi-Feng Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Ming-Shan Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Jia-Xin Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Jin-Long Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Key Laboratory of the Provincial Education Department of Heilongjiang for Common Animal Disease Prevention and Treatment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China; Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Zhou Y, Zheng L, Chen X, Huang Y, Essawy H, Du G, Zhou X, Zhang J. Developing high performance biodegradable film based on crosslinking of cellulose acetate and tannin using caprolactone. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:130067. [PMID: 38336318 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The use of metal catalysts during the production process of cellulose acetate (CA) film can have an impact on the environment, due to their toxicity. Diphenyl phosphate (DPP) was used instead of toxic metal catalyst to react with cellulose acetate, tannin (T) and caprolactone (CL) for preparation of cellulose acetate-caprolactone-tannin (CA-CL-T) film. The results show that DPP can produce a cross-linked network structure composed of tannin, caprolactone and cellulose acetate. The maximum molecular weight reached 113,260 Da. The introduction of tannin and caprolactone into cellulose acetate caused the resulting CA-CL-T film acquire excellent strengthening/toughening effect, in which a tensile strength of 23 MPa and elongation at break of 18 % were attained. More importantly, the resistance of the film to UV radiation was significantly improved with the tannin addition, which was corroborated by the CA-CL-T film still exhibiting a tensile strength of 13 MPa and elongation at break around 13 % after continuous exposure to UV radiation for 9 days. On the other hand, the insertion of caprolactone provoked enhancement of the overall moisture resistance. Five days treatment of the films with Penicillium sp. induced gradual drop in quality, indicating the CA-CL-T film show response to biodegradation. In all, the effective crosslinking between the components of the developed material is responsible for the acquired set of these distinct characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Zhou
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Haidian, 100091 Beijing, China
| | - LuLu Zheng
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Xinyi Chen
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Yuxiang Huang
- Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Haidian, 100091 Beijing, China.
| | - Hisham Essawy
- Department of Polymers and Pigments, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Guanben Du
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Xiaojian Zhou
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Ma K, Fu Y, Liu Y. The effects of microplastics on crop variation depend on polymer types and their interactions with soil nutrient availability and weed competition. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2024; 26:223-231. [PMID: 38198234 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics pollution of agricultural soil is a global environmental concern because of its potential risk to food security and human health. Although many studies have tested the direct effects of microplastics on growth of Eruca sativa Mill., little is known about whether these effects are regulated by fertilization and weed competition in field management practices. Here, we performed a greenhouse experiment growing E. sativa as target species in a three-factorial design with two levels of fertilization (low versus. high), two levels of weed competition treatments (weed competition versus no weed competition) and five levels of microplastic treatments (no microplastics, Polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate [PBAT], Polybutylene succinate [PBS], Polycaprolactone [PCL] or Polypropylene [PP]). Compared to the soil without microplastics, PBS and PCL reduced aboveground biomass and leaf number of the E. sativa. PBS also resulted in increased root allocation and thicker roots in E. sativa. In addition, fertilization significantly mitigated the negative effects of PBS and PCL on aboveground biomass of E. sativa, but weed competition significantly promoted these effects. Although fertilization alleviated the negative effect of PBS on aboveground biomass, such alleviation became weaker under weed competition than when E. sativa grew alone. The results indicate that the effects of specific polymer types on E. sativa growth could be regulated by fertilization, weed management, and even their interactions. Therefore, reasonable on-farm management practices may help in mitigating the negative effects of microplastics pollution on E. sativa growth in agricultural fields.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Ma
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Y Fu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
| | - Y Liu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Grifoni M, Pellegrino E, Arrighetti L, Bronco S, Pezzarossa B, Ercoli L. Interactive impacts of microplastics and arsenic on agricultural soil and plant traits. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169058. [PMID: 38070573 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The ability of microplastics (MPs) to interact with environmental pollutants is currently of great concern due to the increasing use of plastic. Agricultural soils are sinks for multipollutants and the safety of biodegradable MPs in field conditions is questioned. However, still few studies have investigated the interactive effects between MPs and metals on the soil-plant system with agricultural soil and testing crops for human consumption. In this work, we tested the effect on soil and plant parameters of two common MPs, non-degradable plastic low-density polyethylene and biodegradable polymer polylactic acid at two different sizes (<250 μm and 250-300 μm) in association with arsenic (As). Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was used as a model plant in a small-scale experiment lasting 60 days. Microplastics and As explained 12 % and 47 % of total variance, respectively, while their interaction explained 21 %, suggesting a higher toxic impact of As than MPs. Plant growth was promoted by MPs alone, especially when biodegradable MPs were added (+22 %). However, MPs did not affect nutrient concentrations in roots and leaves. The effect of MPs on enzyme activities was variable depending on the time of exposure (with larger effects immediately after exposure), the type and size of the MPs. On the contrary, the co-application of MP and As, although it did not change the amount of bioavailable As in soil in the short and medium term, it resulted in a significant decrease in lettuce biomass (-19 %) and root nutrient concentrations, especially when polylactic acid was applied. Generally, MPs in association with As determined the plant-soil toxicity. This work provides insights into the risk of copollution of MPs and As in agricultural soil and its phytotoxic effect for agricultural crops. However, the mechanisms of the joint effect of MP and As on plant toxicity need further investigation, especially under field conditions and in long-term experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Grifoni
- Crop Science Research Center (CSRC), Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisa Pellegrino
- Crop Science Research Center (CSRC), Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Leonardo Arrighetti
- Institute for Chemical and Physical Processes, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR-IPCF, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Bronco
- Institute for Chemical and Physical Processes, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR-IPCF, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Beatrice Pezzarossa
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR-IRET, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Laura Ercoli
- Crop Science Research Center (CSRC), Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhang H, Huang Y, Shen J, Xu F, Hou H, Xie C, Wang B, An S. Mechanism of polyethylene and biodegradable microplastic aging effects on soil organic carbon fractions in different land-use types. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168961. [PMID: 38042203 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are widely present in terrestrial ecosystems, but knowledge about the aging characteristics of MPs in different land-use types and their impact on soil organic carbon fractions is still limited. Polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable MPs (Poly propylene carbonate and Polybutylene adipate terephthalate synthetic material (PPC + PBAT, Bio)), at 0 %, 0.03 %, and 0.3 % (w/w) dosages, were added to grassland, farmland, and facility soils for eight-week incubation. The aging degree of MPs was explored by quantifying the carbonyl index (CI). Soil organic C fractions such as SOC, particulate organic carbon (POC), mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and microbial-derived C were analyzed. MPs underwent rapid aging after incubation, and the CI value for 0.03 % PE-MPs increased from 0.05 to 0.27 (farmland) and 0.26 (facility) (p < 0.05). The aging degree of 0.03 % and 0.3 % Bio-MPs was most significant in grassland, with CI decreasing by 46.6 % and 69.0 %, respectively. The CI of MPs were negatively correlated with their dosage. The 0.03 % and 0.3 % PE-MPs decreased soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 7.4 % and 8.2 % in grassland, and 3.0 % and 6.0 % in the facility (p < 0.05). POC content of farmland and facility soil was negatively correlated with PE-MPs' CI (p < 0.05). The 0.03 % PE and Bio-MPs decreased fungal necromass C (FNC) by 0.40 and 0.05 g kg-1 in grassland and 0.48 and 0.21 g kg-1 in farmland. Besides, the dosage of MPs regulated FNC content through soil pH, nutrients, and extracellular enzyme activity, either directly or indirectly, ultimately affecting the soil C pool. Therefore, this study demonstrates that MPs strongly affect SOC dynamics by influencing soil microbial enzyme activity and fungal necromass.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haixin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yimei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Jikai Shen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fengjing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hongyang Hou
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chunjiao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and The Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Baorong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shaoshan An
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Dewi SK, Han ZM, Bhat SA, Zhang F, Wei Y, Li F. Effect of plastic mulch residue on plant growth performance and soil properties. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123254. [PMID: 38160772 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Plastic mulch is widely utilized for weed control, temperature regulation, soil erosion prevention, disease management, and soil structure improvement, ultimately enhancing crop quality and yield. However, a significant issue with conventional plastic mulches is their low recycling rates, which can cause plastic residue to build up, thereby damaging soil quality and reducing crop yield. The emergence of biodegradable films offers a promising solution to mitigate this issue and reduce soil pollution. However, its potential effects on soil properties and plant performance remain unclear. In this study, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and poly (butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA) were used to observe the effect of plastic mulch residues on soil properties and plant growth performance via potting experiment. Additionally, the interaction effects of compost and biochar as soil amendments with plastic mulch residues were also evaluated. The result of this study revealed that the type of plastic significantly affected the total nitrogen and magnesium uptake; however, the morphological traits of the tested plant (Japanese mustard spinach) were not significantly affected. The addition of compost and biochar led to a significant increase in both shoot and total dry weight of the plant, indicating a positive effect on its growth. The results of the two-way ANOVA indicated a significant influence of plastic type on dissolved phosphate (PO43-) levels and soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA). The interaction effect (plastic type with soil amendment) was statistically significant only for soil DHA. Neither plastic mulch residues nor soil amendments significantly affected other soil chemical properties. However, long-term experiments to systematically investigate the long-term effects of plastic residues are necessary.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shiamita Kusuma Dewi
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Zaw Min Han
- Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Sartaj Ahmad Bhat
- River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Fuping Zhang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Yongfen Wei
- The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan; River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan.
| | - Fusheng Li
- Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan; River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Li X, Wu J, Cheng X, Cai Z, Wang Z, Zhou J. Biodegradable microplastics reduce the effectiveness of biofertilizers by altering rhizospheric microecological functions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 352:120071. [PMID: 38246103 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The effectiveness of biofertilizers as a cost-effective crop yield enhancer can be compromised by residual soil pollutants. However, the impact of accumulated polyadipate/butylene terephthalate microplastics (PBAT-MPs) from biodegradable mulch films on biofertilizer application and the consequent growth of crop plants remains unclear. Here, the effects of different levels of PBAT-MPs in soil treated with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens biofertilizer were assessed in a four-week potted experiment. PBAT-MPs significantly decreased the growth-promoting effect of the biofertilizer on Brassica chinensis L., resulting in a notable reduction in both above- and belowground biomass (up to 52.91% and 57.53%, respectively), as well as nitrate and crude fiber contents (up to 12.18% and 13.64%, respectively). In the rhizosphere microenvironment, PBAT-MPs increased soil organic carbon by 2.63-fold and organic matter by 2.68-fold, while enhancing sucrase (from 67.55% to 108.89%) and cellulase (from 31.26% to 49.10%) activities. PBAT-MPs also altered the rhizospheric bacterial community composition/diversity, resulting in more complex microbial networks. With regard to microbial function, PBAT-MPs impacted carbon metabolic function by inhibiting the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate fixation pathway and influencing chitin and lignin degradation processes. Overall, the rhizospheric microbial profiles (composition, function, and network interactions) were the main contributors to plant growth inhibition. This study provides a practical case and theoretical basis for rational use of biodegradable mulch films and indicates that the residue of biodegradable films needs pay attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Li
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Jialing Wu
- Ecological Fertilizer Research Institute, Shenzhen Batian Ecological Engineering Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Xueyu Cheng
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Zhonghua Cai
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Zongkang Wang
- Ecological Fertilizer Research Institute, Shenzhen Batian Ecological Engineering Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, PR China.
| | - Jin Zhou
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Tariq M, Iqbal B, Khan I, Khan AR, Jho EH, Salam A, Zhou H, Zhao X, Li G, Du D. Microplastic contamination in the agricultural soil-mitigation strategies, heavy metals contamination, and impact on human health: a review. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:65. [PMID: 38341396 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-024-03162-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has emerged as a critical global environmental issue due to its widespread distribution, persistence, and potential adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. Although research on microplastic pollution in aquatic environments has gained significant attention. However, a limited literature has summarized the impacts of microplastic pollution the agricultural land and human health. Therefore, In the current review, we have discussed how microplastic(s) affect the microorganisms by ingesting the microplastic present in the soil, alternatively affecting the belowground biotic and abiotic components, which further elucidates the negative effects on the above-ground properties of the crops. In addition, the consumption of these crops in the food chain revealed a potential risk to human health throughout the food chain. Moreover, microplastic pollution has the potential to induce a negative impact on agricultural production and food security by altering the physiochemical properties of the soil, microbial population, nutrient cycling, and plant growth and development. Therefore, we discussed in detail the potential hazards caused by microplastic contamination in the soil and through the consumption of food and water by humans in daily intake. Furthermore, further study is urgently required to comprehend how microplastic pollution negatively affects terrestrial ecosystems, particularly agroecosystems which drastically reduces the productivity of the crops. Our review highlights the urgent need for greater awareness, policy interventions, and technological solutions to address the emerging threat of microplastic pollution in soil and plant systems and mitigation strategies to overcome its potential impacts on human health. Based on existing studies, we have pointed out the research gaps and proposed different directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Tariq
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Centre of Green Technology and Contingency Management for Emerging Pollutants, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China
| | - Babar Iqbal
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Centre of Green Technology and Contingency Management for Emerging Pollutants, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ismail Khan
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Centre of Green Technology and Contingency Management for Emerging Pollutants, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China
| | - Ali Raza Khan
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Centre of Green Technology and Contingency Management for Emerging Pollutants, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China
| | - Eun Hea Jho
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Abdul Salam
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology of the Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Zhou
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Centre of Green Technology and Contingency Management for Emerging Pollutants, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China
- Zhenjiang New District Environmental Monitoring Station Co. Ltd, Zhenjiang, 212132, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Guanlin Li
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Centre of Green Technology and Contingency Management for Emerging Pollutants, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Daolin Du
- Jingjiang College, Institute of Environment and Ecology, School of Emergency Management, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wright ACM, Boots B, Ings TC, Green DS. Impacts of pristine, aged and leachate of conventional and biodegradable plastics on plant growth and soil organic carbon. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:11766-11780. [PMID: 38224439 PMCID: PMC10869392 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-31838-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Plastic is an essential component of agriculture globally, becoming a concerning form of pollution. Biodegradable alternatives are gaining attention as a potential replacement for commonly used, non-degradable plastics, but there is little known about the impacts of biodegradable plastics as they age and potential leachates are released. In this study, different types (conventional: polyethylene and polypropylene and biodegradable: polyhydroxybutyrate and polylactic acid) of micro- and meso-films were added to soil at 0.1% (w/w) prior to being planted with Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass) to evaluate the plant and soil biophysical responses in a pot experiment. Root and shoot biomass and chlorophyll content were reduced when soil was exposed to plastics, whether conventional or biodegradable, pristine, aged or when just their leachate was present. The pH and organic matter content of soil exposed to these plastics and their leachates was significantly reduced compared to control samples; furthermore, there was an increase in CO2 respiration rate from soil. In general, meso (> 5 mm) and micro (< 5 mm) plastic films did not differ in the impact on plants or soil. This study provides evidence that conventional and biodegradable plastics have both physical and chemical impacts on essential soil characteristics and the growth of L. perenne, potentially leading to wider effects on soil carbon cycling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy C M Wright
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK.
| | - Bas Boots
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK
| | - Thomas C Ings
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK
| | - Dannielle S Green
- Applied Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Azarnejad N, Celletti S, Ghorbani M, Fedeli R, Loppi S. Dose-Dependent Effects of a Corn Starch-Based Bioplastic on Basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.): Implications for Growth, Biochemical Parameters, and Nutrient Content. TOXICS 2024; 12:80. [PMID: 38251035 PMCID: PMC10818275 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12010080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue, prompting the exploration of sustainable alternatives such as bioplastics (BPs). In agriculture, BPs have gained relevance as mulching films. This study investigated the effect of the presence in the soil of different concentrations (0-3%, w/w) of a corn starch-based bioplastic on basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). The results showed that increasing bioplastic concentration reduced shoot fresh biomass production. Biochemical analyses revealed changes in the shoot in soluble protein content, biomarkers of oxidative and osmotic stress (malondialdehyde and proline, respectively), anti-radical activity, and antioxidant compounds (phenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid), which are indicative of plant adaptive mechanisms in response to stress caused by the presence of the different concentrations of bioplastic in the soil. Macro- and micronutrient analysis showed imbalances in nutrient uptake, with a decreased content of potassium, phosphorus, and manganese, and an increased content of magnesium, iron, and copper in the shoot at high BP concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nazanin Azarnejad
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.A.); (M.G.); (R.F.); (S.L.)
| | - Silvia Celletti
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.A.); (M.G.); (R.F.); (S.L.)
- BioAgry Lab, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Majid Ghorbani
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.A.); (M.G.); (R.F.); (S.L.)
| | - Riccardo Fedeli
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.A.); (M.G.); (R.F.); (S.L.)
- BioAgry Lab, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Stefano Loppi
- Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (N.A.); (M.G.); (R.F.); (S.L.)
- BioAgry Lab, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
- BAT Center—Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wang W, Xie Y, Li H, Dong H, Li B, Guo Y, Wang Y, Guo X, Yin T, Liu X, Zhou W. Responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) growth and soil properties to conventional non-biodegradable and new biodegradable microplastics. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 341:122897. [PMID: 37949158 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Residual plastic films in soils are posing a potential threat to agricultural ecosystem. However, little is known about the impacts of microplastics (MPs) derived from biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastic films on plant-soil systems. Here, we carried out a pot experiment using soil-cultivated lettuce treated by two types of MPs, degradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT-MPs) and non-biodegradable polyethylene (PE-MPs). MPs resulted in different degrees of reduction in shoot biomass, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic parameters, and leaf contents of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), accelerated accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide, and increased malondialdehyde content in lettuce leaves. Moreover, MPs obviously decreased contents of total N, nitrate, ammonium, and available K in soils, and increased available P, thus altering soil nutrient availability. MPs also significantly decreased proportions of macroaggregates, and decreased soil electrical conductivity and microbial activity. PBAT-MPs had significantly greater impacts on oxidative damage, photosynthetic rate, soil aggregation, microbial activity, and soil ammonium than those of PE-MPs. Our results suggested that MPs caused oxidative damages, nutrient uptake inhibition, soil properties alteration, ultimately leading to growth reduction, and PBAT-MPs exhibited stronger impacts. Therefore, it is urgent to further study the ecological effects of MPs, especially biodegradable MPs, on soil-plant systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weixuan Wang
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Yingmei Xie
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Han Li
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Hongmin Dong
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Bin Li
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Yunjie Guo
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Yutong Wang
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Xinrui Guo
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Tao Yin
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- Western Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, 831100, China
| | - Weiwei Zhou
- College of Resource and Environment, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Dong D, Guo Z, Wu F, Yang X, Li J. Plastic residues alter soil microbial community compositions and metabolite profiles under realistic conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167352. [PMID: 37769723 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Wide usage of plastic coupled with mismanagement has created a humongous environmental hazard threatening entire ecosystems. To date, the potential effects of plastic debris-induced soil nutrition substance changes and the relevant microbial metabolic behavior remain unclear. Here, we studied the effect of plastic films polyethylene and polylactic acid in differential soil environments (farmland, woodland, and wetland) for 120 days. Soil enzyme activities (urease, neutral phosphatase, and catalase) and nutrition substance (NH4+-N, available P, available K, and soil organic matter) present obvious variations in polylactic acid groups compared to polyethylene-treated samples. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicates that several bacteria abundance such as Bacteroidales, Actinobacteriota, Nitrososphaeraceae, Pyrinomonadalcs, Muribaculaceae, exhibited obvious up-regulation or down-regulation, and simultaneously, the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling relevant species Bryobacter, Bradyrhizobium, and Sphingomonas, expressed wider margin of down-regulation in abundance in plastic treatment soil samples. As a result, the abundance of metabolites including sugar, amino acid, and fatty acids, which may associated with nutrition substance metabolic pathways, were significantly altered in the stress of plastic. These findings provide valuable information on the environmental effects of plastics, and the relationships of subsequent nutrition substance changes and microbial metabolic behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dazhuang Dong
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Anhui Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Zhi Guo
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Anhui Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China.
| | - Feiyan Wu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Anhui Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Xue Yang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Anhui Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Jie Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; Anhui Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Dhevagi P, Keerthi Sahasa RG, Poornima R, Ramya A. Unveiling the effect of microplastics on agricultural crops - a review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2023; 26:793-815. [PMID: 37941363 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2023.2275152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), ever since they were identified as a potential and widely distributed persistent contaminant, the number of studies highlighting their impacts on various terrestrial ecosystems have been increasing. Recently, the effect of MPs on the agricultural ecosystem has gained momentum. Hence, the present review examines the impact of microplastics on agricultural crop systems and the mechanism underlying its toxicity. The current review revealed that most of the studies were conducted at a laboratory scale and under controlled conditions. Additionally, it was observed that polystyrene (PS) followed by polyethylene (PE) are the most studied polymer type, while the most studied plants are wheat and maize. Hitherto, literature studies suggest that the microplastics' influence on plant growth can be negative or sometimes neutral; while in some cases it exerts a hormetic effect which depends on other factors determining plant growth. Notably, the main mechanisms through which microplastics influence plant growth are mechanical damage, alteration of soil properties, or by leaching of additives. Overall, with burgeoning research interest in this aspect, the current review has significant implications for the toxicity of MPs on plants and throws light on the need to develop novel guidelines toward the sustainable use of plastics in agricultural sector. However, realistic field-level studies and estimating the MPs concentration at various region are essential to develop remediation approaches. Future studies should also focus on translocation and accumulation of micron sized MPs in edible portion of crops and their effect on food safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Periyasamy Dhevagi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Ramesh Poornima
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ambikapathi Ramya
- Research Centre for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Huang F, Zhang Q, Wang L, Zhang C, Zhang Y. Are biodegradable mulch films a sustainable solution to microplastic mulch film pollution? A biogeochemical perspective. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132024. [PMID: 37572603 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Mulch film residue contributes significantly to global plastic pollution, and consequently biodegradable mulch films (BDMs) are being adopted as a solution. BDMs decompose relatively quickly, but their complete biodegradation requires suitable conditions that are difficult to achieve in nature, causing biodegradable microplastics (bio-MPs) to be more likely to accumulate in soil than traditional microplastics (MPs). If BDMs are to be considered as a sustainable solution, long-term and in-depth studies to investigate the impact of bio-MPs on the biogeochemical processes are vital to agroecosystems operation and ecosystem services supply. Although bio-MP-derived carbon can potentially convert into biomass during decomposition, its contribution to soil carbon stocks is insignificant. Instead, given their biodegradability, bio-MPs can result in greater alterations of soil biodiversity and community composition. Their high carbon-nitrogen ratios may also significantly regulate various processes involved in the natural decomposition and transformation of soil organic matter, including the reduction of nutrient availability and increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Soil ecosystems are complex organic entities interconnected by disturbance-feedback mechanisms. Given the prevailing knowledge gaps regarding the impact of bio-MPs on soil biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem balance, this study emphasized the safety and sustainability assessment of bio-MPs and the prevailing comprehensive challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fuxin Huang
- School of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- School of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Congyu Zhang
- School of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Xue Y, Zhao F, Sun Z, Bai W, Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Yang N, Feng C, Feng L. Long-term mulching of biodegradable plastic film decreased fungal necromass C with potential consequences for soil C storage. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 337:139280. [PMID: 37385482 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The use of biodegradable plastic film mulching as a replacement for polyethylene plastic film has gained recognition due to its reduced environmental pollution. However, its impact on soil environment is not yet fully understood. Here, we compared the effects of different plastic film mulching on the accumulation of microbial necromass carbon (C) and its contribution to soil total C in 2020 and 2021. Results showed that biodegradable plastic film mulching decreased the accumulation of fungal necromass C compared to no plastic film mulching and polyethylene film mulching. However, the bacterial necromass C and soil total C were not affected by the plastic film mulching. Biodegradable plastic film mulching decreased the soil dissolved organic carbon content after maize harvest. Random forest models suggested that soil dissolved organic C, soil pH and the ratio of soil dissolved organic C to microbial biomass C were important factors in regulating the accumulation of fungal necromass C. The abundance of the fungal genus Mortierella was also found to have a significant positive contribution to the accumulation of fungal necromass C. These findings suggest that biodegradable plastic film mulching may decrease the accumulation of fungal necromass C by changing substrate availability, soil pH, and fungal community composition, with potential implications for soil C storage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinghao Xue
- College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China; Rural Energy and Environment Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100125, China
| | - Fengyan Zhao
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China
| | - Zhanxiang Sun
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China.
| | - Wei Bai
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China
| | - Yongyong Zhang
- College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China
| | - Ning Yang
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China
| | - Chen Feng
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China
| | - Liangshan Feng
- Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China; National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin, 123102, China.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zhang J, Cao L, Zhu X, Li H, Duan G, Wang Y. Accumulation and transfer of polystyrene microplastics in Solanum nigrum seedlings. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15967. [PMID: 37667751 PMCID: PMC10475273 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) pollution is lately receiving increasing attention owing to its harmful impact on terrestrial ecosystems. In this microcosm study, we assessed the uptake and transfer of MPs in Solanum nigrum seedlings exposed to 50 mg L-1 of 0.2-µm polystyrene (PS) beads for 30 d. Confocal laser scanning micrographs helped detect highly intense red fluorescence signals from PS-MP beads in S. nigrum root compared with the controls. Confocal images revealed that the PS beads were primarily distributed in the epidermis and xylem of roots and vascular systems of stems and leaves. Scanning electron microscopy showed that PS beads were scattered on the cell walls of the root xylem and leaf vascular system. Few PS beads were transferred from roots to stems and leaves via the vascular system following the transpiration stream. In conclusion, our findings showed that PS beads accumulated in S. nigrum roots and were transferred from the roots to the aerial parts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- JuKui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
| | - Lian Cao
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
| | - Hanbo Li
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
| | - Gang Duan
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Quilliam RS, Pow CJ, Shilla DJ, Mwesiga JJ, Shilla DA, Woodford L. Microplastics in agriculture - a potential novel mechanism for the delivery of human pathogens onto crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1152419. [PMID: 37636119 PMCID: PMC10448812 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1152419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Mulching with plastic sheeting, the use of plastic carriers in seed coatings, and irrigation with wastewater or contaminated surface water have resulted in plastics, and microplastics, becoming ubiquitous in agricultural soils. Once in the environment, plastic surfaces quickly become colonised by microbial biofilm comprised of a diverse microbial community. This so-called 'plastisphere' community can also include human pathogens, particularly if the plastic has been exposed to faecal contamination (e.g., from wastewater or organic manures and livestock faeces). The plastisphere is hypothesised to facilitate the survival and dissemination of pathogens, and therefore plastics in agricultural systems could play a significant role in transferring human pathogens to crops, particularly as microplastics adhering to ready to eat crops are difficult to remove by washing. In this paper we critically discuss the pathways for human pathogens associated with microplastics to interact with crop leaves and roots, and the potential for the transfer, adherence, and uptake of human pathogens from the plastisphere to plants. Globally, the concentration of plastics in agricultural soils are increasing, therefore, quantifying the potential for the plastisphere to transfer human pathogens into the food chain needs to be treated as a priority.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard S. Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Chloe J. Pow
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| | - Dativa J. Shilla
- Department of Chemistry, Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - James J. Mwesiga
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Daniel A. Shilla
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Technology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Luke Woodford
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Liu M, Wang C, Zhu B. Drought Alleviates the Negative Effects of Microplastics on Soil Micro-Food Web Complexity and Stability. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37471306 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Soil ecosystems are under considerable pressure due to anthropogenic factors, including microplastics (MPs) pollution and drought. However, little is known about the interactive effects of MPs and drought on soil organisms, especially soil micro-food web. We conducted a microcosm experiment with MPs pollution (including two types and two sizes of MPs) and drought to investigate their interaction effects on soil microbial, protist, and nematode communities in soil micro-food web. We found that MPs significantly decreased the complexity and stability of soil micro-food web, with greater negative effects of biodegradable and smaller-sized MPs than conventional and larger-sized MPs. Drought had negative effects on soil micro-food web in the non-MPs pollution soils while increasing the complexity and stability of soil micro-food web in the MPs pollution soils. Drought increased the proportion of negative correlations between bacteria and fungi in the biodegradable MPs soils while decreasing the proportion of negative correlations between protists and nematodes in the smaller-sized MPs soils. Our study reveals that drought may alleviate the negative effects of MPs on soil micro-food web by reducing competition among lower trophic levels in the biodegradable MPs pollution soils while reducing competition among higher trophic levels in the smaller-sized MPs pollution soils.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengli Liu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chong Wang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Biao Zhu
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Shi J, Wang Z, Peng Y, Zhang Z, Fan Z, Wang J, Wang X. Microbes drive metabolism, community diversity, and interactions in response to microplastic-induced nutrient imbalance. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 877:162885. [PMID: 36934915 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The impact of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on soil nutrients (carbon and nitrogen) has been widely examined, and the alteration of nutrient conditions further influences microbial biosynthesis processes. Nonetheless, the influence of microplastic-induced nutrient imbalances on soil microorganisms (from metabolism to community interactions) is still not well understood. We hypothesized that conventional and biodegradable microplastic could alter soil nutrients and microbial processes. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted soil microcosms with polyethylene (PE, new and aged) and polylactic acid (PLA, new and aged) microplastics to evaluate their effects on the soil enzymatic stoichiometry, co-occurrence interactions, and success patterns of soil bacterial communities. New and aged PLA induced soil N immobilization, which decreased soil mineral N by 91-141 %. The biodegradation of PLA led to a higher bioavailable C and wider bioavailable C:N ratio, which further filtered out specific microbial species. Both new and aged PLA had a higher abundance of copiotrophic members (Proteobacteria, 35-51 % in PLA, 26-34 % in CK/PE treatments) and rrn copy number. The addition of PLA resulted in a lower alpha diversity and reduced network complexity. Conversely, because of the chemically stable hydrocarbon structure of PE polymers, the new and aged PE microplastics had a minor effect on soil mineral N, bacterial community composition, and network complexity, but led to microbial C limitation. Collectively, all microplastics increased soil C-, N-, and P -acquiring enzyme activities and reduced the number of keystone species and the robustness of the co-occurrence network. The PLA treatment enhanced nitrogen fixation and ureolysis, whereas the PE treatment increased the degradation of recalcitrant carbon. Overall, the alteration of soil nutrient conditions by microplastics affected the microbial metabolism and community interactions, although the effects of PE and PLA microplastics were distinct.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Shi
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (North China), College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (North China), College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yumei Peng
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (North China), College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ziyun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (North China), College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhongmin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (North China), College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (North China), College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wang T, Qu L, Luo D, Ji X, Ma Z, Wang Z, Dahlgren RA, Zhang M, Shang X. Microplastic pollution characteristics and its future perspectives in the Tibetan Plateau. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131711. [PMID: 37257387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are an emerging and persistent pollutant due to their threat to global ecological systems and human health. Recent studies showed that microplastics have infiltrated the remote Third Pole - the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we summarize the current evidence for microplastic pollution in the different environments (rivers/lakes, sediment, soil, ice/snow and atmosphere) of the Tibetan Plateau. We assess the spatial distribution, source, fate, and potential ecological effects of microplastics in this broad plateau. The integrated results show that microplastics were pervasive in biotic and abiotic components of the Tibetan Plateau, even at the global highest-altitude, Mt. Everest. Although the concentration of microplastics in the Tibetan Plateau was far below that found in the densely populated lowlands, it showed a higher concentration than that in the ocean system. Tourist populations are identified as a substantial source of anthropogenic plastic input rather than local residents due to the rapid development of the tourism industry. In the sparsely inhabited remote area of the Tibetan Plateau, long-range atmospheric transport facilitates allochthonous microplastic diffusion. Robust solar radiation in the Tibetan Plateau might enhanced production of secondary microplastics by weathering (UV-photooxidation) of abandoned plastic waste. A rough estimation showed that the microplastic export flux from melting glaciers was higher than that measured in most of the world's largest rivers, which affects local and downstream areas. Since the Tibetan Plateau is vital for Asian water supply and numerous endangered wildlife, the potential human and ecological risk of microplastics to these fragile ecosystems needs to be fully evaluated within the context of climate-change impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Institute of Eco-Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wenzhou 325006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liyin Qu
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Dehua Luo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xiaoliang Ji
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zengling Ma
- National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Ecological Treatment Technology for Urban Water Pollution, Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Subtropical Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhonggen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Randy A Dahlgren
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Minghua Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Xu Shang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Chu J, Zhou J, Wang Y, Jones DL, Ge J, Yang Y, Brown RW, Zang H, Zeng Z. Field application of biodegradable microplastics has no significant effect on plant and soil health in the short term. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120556. [PMID: 36328286 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bioplastics (biodegradable plastics) potentially offer an encouraging alternative to conventional (petroleum-based) plastics. In practice, bioplastics inevitably generate a large number of bio-microplastics (bio-MPs, diameter <5 mm) during the degradation progress. However, the impact of bio-MPs on plant and soil health within agroecosystems remains incomplete. Here, a field study was conducted to investigate the effect of two shapes (fiber and powder) of pure polylactic acid (PLA) bio-MPs on oat (Avena sativa L.) and soybean (Glycinemax (L.) Merr.) growth and soil health. Our results showed that PLA application at a representative soil loading rate of 0.2% (w/w) had no significant effect on soil enzyme activities, soil physicochemical properties (soil water content, pH, etc.), root characteristics, plant biomass, and crop yield. Thus, we conclude that soil quality, plant health, and ecosystem multifunctionality were not affected by PLA over one growing season (5 months) in the presence of either bio-MP shape (fiber and powder) for either crop species (oat and soybean). Overall, PLA based bio-MPs may not pose a significant threat to agroecosystem functions in the short term (days to months) in the field, thus may provide a viable environmentally benign solution to replace traditional non-biodegradable plastics in agroecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juncong Chu
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yue Wang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Davey L Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK; SoilsWest, Centre for Sustainable Farming Systems, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6105, Australia
| | - Junyong Ge
- Zhangjiakou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China
| | - Yadong Yang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Robert W Brown
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Huadong Zang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Zhaohai Zeng
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| |
Collapse
|