We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polystyrene and Azithromycin Co-Contamination: Comparative Analysis of Microbial Shifts in the Rhizosphere vs. Bulk Soil under Wheat Growth
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that when tiny plastic particles and a common antibiotic mix together in soil, they disrupt beneficial microbes around wheat roots more than either pollutant does alone. This matters because healthy soil microbes help crops grow and cycle nutrients, so this combined pollution could quietly affect food production as both microplastics and pharmaceuticals build up in farmland over time.
Abstract The high rate of entry of microplastics (MPs) and pharmaceuticals into the agroecosystem leads to progressive accumulation within the soil year after year, raising concerns about both soil ecological health and crop productivity. The combined contamination of macrolide antibiotics and nanoplastics in the rhizosphere remains poorly understood. In this work, microbial shifts in the rhizosphere and bulk soil under wheat growth as affected by the polystyrene (PS) and azithromycin antibiotics (AZM) co-contamination were investigated. In this study, the toxicity effects of different sizes and concentrations of PS (i.e., 100 nm; 300 nm; 50 and 500 mg/kg, respectively) and AZM (i.e., 5 and 20 mg/kg) were combined under wheat growth in the greenhouse for 110 days. A total of 15 treatments with three replicates each were prepared and arranged in a completely random design. Findings revealed that combined contamination (i.e., PS+AZM) negatively affected microbial richness and diversity compared to individual contamination, and it was more prominent in the rhizosphere than in bulk soil. This, in turn, affected the composition of the bacterial community, abundances, functions, and interactions. It also influenced functions involved in biogeochemical cycles within the system. The co-occurrence network showed that PS+AZM inhibited wheat growth in general and reduced bacterial interactions (nodes: 770, edges: 6184, positive interactions: 4656, negative interactions: 1528) compared to individual PS (nodes: 1301, edges: 18,190, positive interactions: 11,597, negative interactions: 6593) and AZM application (nodes: 866, edges: 7464, positive interactions: 5192, negative interactions: 2272). The same trend occurred in the rhizosphere vs bulk soil. PS+AZM drove distinct microbial community shifts, where the rhizosphere was enriched with mostly bacteria involved in nitrogen biogeochemical cycling (Microvirga; Pseudorhodoplanes; Polaromonas; Hydrogenophaga; and Bauldia) and bulk soil was enriched with bacteria adapted to low nutrients and stress resistance (i.e., Opitutus; Adhaeribacter; Blastococcus; Ilumatobacter; IS-44; Bryobacter; Subgroup_10; Gemmatimonas). These results shed light on the co-occurrence of MPs and antibiotics in agroecosystems. They may help in developing mitigation measures against the effects of MPs and antibiotics in agroecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Combined contamination of microplastic and antibiotic alters the composition of microbial community and metabolism in wheat and maize rhizosphere soil
AI summary Read the abstract
A study found that when soil is contaminated with both microplastics and antibiotics together, the damage to wheat and maize seedlings is worse than from either contaminant alone, with increased root oxidative stress and disrupted soil bacterial communities. This combined contamination, common in agricultural soils treated with plastic mulch and livestock manure, could affect crop health and food quality.
The effects of single and combined pollution of PE microplastics and antibiotics in soil on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and antibiotic exposure on soil organisms, finding that mixture exposure altered soil microbial community structure and promoted antibiotic resistance gene abundance more than either stressor alone. Co-exposure to microplastics and antibiotics poses compounded risks for soil microbiomes.
Combined effects of oxytetracycline and microplastic on wheat seedling growth and associated rhizosphere bacterial communities and soil metabolite profiles
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how the antibiotic oxytetracycline combined with polyethylene microplastics affects wheat seedling growth and soil microbial communities. They found that high concentrations of the antibiotic combined with microplastics significantly reduced seedling growth and altered the bacterial communities around the roots. The study reveals that the co-presence of antibiotics and microplastics in agricultural soils may create compounding negative effects on crop health.
Phytotoxic effects and rhizosphere microecological responses of peanut to oxytetracycline and microplastic co-exposure
AI summary Read the abstract
When peanuts grow in soil contaminated with both an antibiotic (oxytetracycline) and microplastics, the combination stresses the plants and disrupts the helpful bacteria living around their roots more than either pollutant alone. This matters because farm soils increasingly contain both types of pollution from things like manure and plastic waste, and understanding how they harm crops together — not just separately — is key to protecting our food supply and figuring out what ends up on our plates.
Combined effects of microplastics and organic pollutants on crops: a meta-analysis
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles in soil don't just harm crops on their own, when combined with things like antibiotics or pesticides, they can shrink plant growth and cause crops to soak up nearly twice as much antibiotic residue in their edible parts. Since this study used lab experiments with higher-than-typical pollutant levels over short time periods, more real-world research is needed, but the findings raise a flag: microplastic pollution in farm soil could be making other chemical contaminants in our food worse, not just adding a separate problem.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.