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Spatial Distribution and Compartmental Allocation of Microplastics in Belowground Systems of Mulched Phyllostachys violascens Forests Along Urban–Rural Gradients
Original title: Spatial Distribution and Compartmental Allocation of Microplastics in Belowground Systems of Mulched Phyllostachys violascens Forests Along Urban–Rural Gradients
Summary
Scientists studied bamboo forests near cities and farther out in the countryside, looking at how tiny plastic bits (microplastics) build up in the soil and plant parts, including the bamboo shoots people eat. They found that plastic mulch covers used to help bamboo grow — especially when left on for a long time — cause more microplastics to accumulate underground, and that shoots grown near cities picked up more plastic than those farther away. While the edible shoots themselves didn't show alarming plastic buildup yet, the surrounding soil and roots did, suggesting this farming practice could pose a growing food safety risk worth monito
Intensive management practices promote microplastic (MP) accumulation in Phyllostachys violascens forests, posing potential threats to ecosystem stability and the edibility safety of bamboo shoots. However, how urbanization and mulching duration jointly regulate MP distribution, transfer, and associated food safety risks remains unclear. We investigated MP dynamics across urban–rural gradients (suburban vs. exurban) under different mulching durations (no mulching, short–term mulching, and long–term mulching), focusing on the rhizome–root–soil system and bamboo shoots. MP abundance was significantly higher in suburban forests, with maxima under long–term mulching, whereas in exurban forests, peaks occurred under long–term mulching. Urbanization also altered MP allocation patterns, with enrichment in rhizome roots and rhizomes in suburban forests but greater accumulation in bamboo shoots in exurban forests. Long–term mulching markedly enhanced MP accumulation across all components, particularly in clump roots, where abundance was three times higher than that in exurban forests. MPs were predominantly small (20–50 μm), mainly composed of acrylates (ACRs), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PU), and polyethylene (PE). Along the “soil–root–rhizome” continuum, contrasting transfer patterns emerged between suburban and exurban forests, with soil total potassium identified as the key driver regulating MP migration and redistribution. Although the pollution load index indicated moderate contamination without significant accumulation in bamboo shoots, the ecological risk index revealed a high ecological risk, highlighting potential food safety concerns. Overall, MP accumulation and migration in Ph. violascens systems are jointly shaped by urban–rural gradients and mulching duration, with implications for belowground processes and the safety of edible bamboo shoots.