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Researchers conducted a pot experiment in karst soil comparing non-degradable polyethylene and degradable polylactic acid microplastics and found that PLA caused greater ecological harm than PE — inhibiting plant growth more severely, disrupting fungal communities more intensely, and decoupling soil nutrient cycling from plant uptake in a dose-dependent cascade.
Background:Karst ecosystems are fragile and characterized by poor soil fertility. As emerging contaminants, the ecological risks of microplastics in such systems remain poorly understood.Objective: In this study, we conducted a pot experiment to systematically investigate the cascading effects of two types of microplastics-non-degradable polyethylene (PE) and degradable polylactic acid (PLA)-at different doses on a karst soil-plant system.Methods: A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate plant growth responses, soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, microbial community structure, and metabolic fluxes. A comprehensive toxicity index (CTI) based on the entropy weight method was used to compare ecological risks.Results: Microplastics generally inhibited plant growth, with PLA exerting a stronger inhibitory effect than PE. High-dose PLA significantly reduced fresh plant weight and root development, and induced a decoupling between soil available nutrients and plant growth. Microplastics significantly altered key soil enzyme activities and microbial community structure in a type- and dose-dependent manner. Specifically, PE primarily regulated the microenvironment through physical effects, with low doses positively stimulating acid phosphatase (ACP) activity, whereas PLA exerted chemical interference through its degradation products, affecting lignin peroxidase (LiP) and laccase activities. Fungi were more sensitive to microplastic stress than bacteria, and microplastics selected for specific functional bacterial taxa and tolerant fungi, directly driving enzyme activities and elemental cycling processes. Metabolic flux analysis revealed that microplastics disrupted the coupling among carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles: low doses enhanced synergies, whereas high doses suppressed functional interactions. A CTI based on the entropy weight method indicated that PLA exhibited higher ecological toxicity than PE.Conclusion: This study reveals that microplastics in karst soils induce a cascade of effects, characterized by the decoupling of nutrients from plant growth and the inhibition of plant development, mediated by shifts in microbial communities and enzyme activities. These effects are type- and dose-dependent, with PLA posing a higher risk than PE. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the early warning and management of microplastic pollution in ecologically vulnerable regions.
More Papers Like This
Data
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted a pot experiment in karst soils and found that both polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics inhibited plant growth and disrupted microbial communities and soil enzyme activity in a dose- and type-dependent manner, with PLA posing greater ecological toxicity than PE due to chemical interference from its degradation products.
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AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted a pot experiment in karst soils and found that both polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics inhibited plant growth and disrupted microbial communities and soil enzyme activity in a dose- and type-dependent manner, with PLA posing greater ecological toxicity than PE due to chemical interference from its degradation products.
Environmental impacts of polylactic acid microplastics on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: more threatening compared to traditional microplastics?
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This review summarizes existing research on "biodegradable" PLA microplastics in soil and water environments. Studies found PLA microplastics can change soil nutrient cycling, microbial communities, and plant and animal health, sometimes differing from conventional plastics in these effects. The review notes long-term impacts remain unclear and calls for further comparative research.
Effect of polylactic acid microplastics on soil properties, soil microbials and plant growth
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Researchers tested whether microplastics from biodegradable polylactic acid plastic, often proposed as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic, affect soil health and plant growth. High concentrations of these biodegradable microplastics reduced soil pH, altered the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, decreased plant growth, and shifted soil microbial communities. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can negatively affect agricultural ecosystems when they break down into microplastic-sized particles.
Effects of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics on plant growth and bacterial community in the soil
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Researchers compared the effects of regular polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics on soybean growth and soil bacteria. Surprisingly, the biodegradable microplastics caused more harm than conventional ones, significantly reducing root growth and altering soil bacterial communities important for nitrogen fixation. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment and raises questions about their impact on food crops.
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