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Microplastics affect organic nitrogen in sediment: The response of organic nitrogen mineralization to microbes and benthic animals

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2024 9 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 45 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Han Zhang, Jinjiang Duan, Cheng Yang, Jianhao Song, Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Jinjiang Duan, Mengli Chen Mengli Chen Mengli Chen Mengli Chen Mengli Chen Cheng Yang, Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Cheng Yang, Jianhao Song, Mengli Chen Jinjiang Duan, Jinjiang Duan, Jianhao Song, Jinjiang Duan, Jinjiang Duan, Jianhao Song, Jinjiang Duan, Jinjiang Duan, Jianhao Song, Jianhao Song, Ruxin Yang, Mengli Chen Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Ruxin Yang, Jianhao Song, Jianhao Song, Jinjiang Duan, Jinjiang Duan, Jianhao Song, Yuanyuan Feng, Jinjiang Duan, Yuanyuan Feng, Jianhao Song, Jinjiang Duan, Jinjiang Duan, Jinjiang Duan, Yin Wang, Qingping Zou, Cheng Yang, Yuanyuan Feng, Qingping Zou, Ruxin Yang, Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Han Zhang, Yin Wang, Yin Wang, Xiangbin Gao, Yin Wang, Han Zhang, Ruxin Yang, Yin Wang, Yin Wang, Ruxin Yang, Qingping Zou, Qingping Zou, Qingping Zou, Qingping Zou, Yin Wang, Xiangbin Gao, Qingping Zou, Yuanyuan Feng, Cheng Yang, Jianhao Song, Jianhao Song, Mengli Chen Qingping Zou, Han Zhang, Yuanyuan Feng, Ruxin Yang, Yuanyuan Feng, Yuanyuan Feng, Mengli Chen Jinjiang Duan, Mengli Chen Yuanyuan Feng, Jinjiang Duan, Mengli Chen Ruxin Yang, Hongyue Li, Mengli Chen Mengli Chen Xiangbin Gao, Han Zhang, Han Zhang, Xiangbin Gao, Mengli Chen Mengli Chen Qingping Zou, Mengli Chen Han Zhang, Mengli Chen Ruxin Yang, Han Zhang, Ruxin Yang, Mengli Chen

Summary

Researchers investigated how different types of microplastics affect organic nitrogen cycling in sediments, measuring the responses of key nitrogen-transforming microorganisms. They found microplastics alter the composition of organic nitrogen and suppress certain nitrogen cycling processes.

Polymers

PLA PP PS

Study Type Environmental

Organic nitrogen is a crucial component of the nitrogen element, and its mineralization by sediment organisms may trigger river eutrophication. Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminants, influence nitrogen cycling in sediments. However, the response of organic nitrogen mineralization to sediment organisms (microbes and benthic animals) under MPs pollution remains unclear. This study used microcosm experiments and structural equation modeling to explore the effects of benthic animals and sediment microbes on organic nitrogen mineralization in the presence of polystyrene, polypropylene, and polylactic acid. Compared to the sediment without MPs, the addition of MPs caused a 17 % decrease in ammonium concentration. However, benthic animals enhanced the organic nitrogen mineralization, resulting in a 63 % increase in ammonium concentration. MPs pollution also significantly increase the nodes and edges in the microbial network and decrease the abundance of the organic nitrogen mineralization gene (UreC). In contrast, benthic animals reduce the microbial network complexity, shape keystone microbes (Lysobacter, Flavobacterium, Terrimonas, and Pontibacter), and enhanced UreC abundance. Structural equation modeling was conducted to confirm that benthic animals regulate keystone microbes, thereby promoting organic nitrogen mineralization. These findings indicate that the bioturbation by benthic animals may give arise to a sustained increase in ammonium concentrations in rivers polluted by MPs, therefore, exacerbate river eutrophication.

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