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Unveiling the effects of two distinct microplastics on the sediment microbial community and greenhouse gas emissions: a case study of the Nu River
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A study of the Nu River found that both conventional PVC and biodegradable PLA microplastics altered sediment microbial communities and disrupted greenhouse gas cycling, with PVC more severely reducing bacterial diversity and both types suppressing methane production. The finding that so-called biodegradable plastics still meaningfully disrupt river ecosystems challenges assumptions about their environmental safety.
Microplastics (MPs) in river ecosystems significantly affect sediment microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling. However, the specific microbial responses to distinct MPs and their subsequent effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain poorly understood. In this study, the effects of conventional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) on sediment microbial communities and GHG emissions were compared. Both PVC and PLA increased sediment total organic carbon (STOC) by 31.3% and 36.7%, respectively, leading to an increase in sediment bacterial abundance. Notably, compared with PLA, PVC reduced bacterial richness more significantly. Community composition and FAPROTAX function prediction analysis revealed that PVC-enriched taxa involved in nitrate reduction (e.g., Desulfuromonas, Hydrogenophage, Azospira) resulted in a significant decrease in NO3− contents. In contrast, PLA increased the abundance of microorganisms associated with organic matter degradation (Chitinophagaceae, Comamonadaceae, and Caulobacteraceae). Both PVC and PLA significantly reduced the relative abundance of the mcrA gene, leading to decreased CH4 fluxes, likely due to competition from enriched acetate-utilizing bacteria (Desulfuromonas, Pseudomonas, and Azospira). Additionally, PLA significantly reduced the abundance of the nirK gene. This study systematically elucidates the differential effects of PVC and PLA on microbial community structure and GHG emissions, providing new insights into the ecological impacts of MPs.
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This review synthesizes research on the sources and ecological effects of microplastics in sediments, tracing transport pathways from terrestrial runoff through freshwater systems to marine sediment sinks and documenting impacts on benthic organisms and ecosystem function. Sediments serve as long-term reservoirs of microplastic pollution, making sediment ecology a critical lens for understanding cumulative environmental burden and food chain exposure risks posed by plastic debris.
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in aquatic sediments — particularly the ocean floor — finding that sediments act as a long-term sink where plastics alter microbial communities and harm bottom-dwelling organisms, meaning the ecological damage of plastic pollution extends far beyond what is visible at the water surface.
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