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Polypropylene microplastics alter soil microbial diversity in wheat and maize cropping systems
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Researchers added polypropylene microplastic pieces to soil growing wheat and maize at different concentrations. Higher amounts reduced soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and changed the diversity and makeup of soil bacteria, differently in wheat versus maize soils.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants in agricultural soils, with the potential to impact soil health and microbial communities. This study evaluated the effects of polypropylene (PP) microplastics at concentrations of 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% on the soil’s chemical properties and bacterial diversity in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) cultivation systems. Soil pH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), and soil organic matter (SOM) were measured, and bacterial communities were analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. At 1% polypropylene microplastics (PP-MPs), significant reductions occurred in pH (20.51% wheat; 14.53% maize), TN (51.64% wheat; 44.26% maize), TP (33.33% wheat; 52.63% maize), TK (53.37% wheat; 50.19% maize), and SOM (51.94% wheat; 53.01% maize). Sequencing generated 1.354,153 reads and 3.722 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with 1.281 shared among all samples. Chao1 index values increased in most treatments, except Wheat 1%, which showed decreased richness. The Shannon index indicated stable diversity in maize soils and reduced diversity at high concentrations in wheat. Beta diversity revealed distinct community shifts, dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi. These results demonstrate that PP-MPs can alter soil nutrient status and microbial structure, highlighting the need for further research on their long-term ecological impacts in agricultural systems.
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