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Microplastic effects on soil nitrogen cycling enzymes: A global meta-analysis of environmental and edaphic factors
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This large-scale meta-analysis of 147 studies found that microplastics in soil significantly increased urease and leucine aminopeptidase enzyme activities by about 8%, potentially disrupting nitrogen cycling. Biodegradable microplastics had more pronounced effects than conventional plastics, and responses depended on soil pH, polymer type, particle size, and concentration.
Microplastic accumulation in soil ecosystems poses significant environmental concerns, potentially impacting nitrogen cycling processes and ecosystem health. This meta-analysis of 147 studies (1138 data points) assessed the impact of microplastics (MPs) on soil nitrogen-acquisition enzymes. We found that MPs exposure significantly increased soil urease (UE) and leucine aminopeptidase activities by 7.6 % and 8.0 %, respectively, while N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity was not significantly affected. Biodegradable MPs showed more pronounced effects compared to conventional MPs. Enzyme activities were influenced by MPs properties (e.g., polymer type, size, concentration), experimental conditions (e.g., field or laboratory setting, temperature, nitrogen fertilization), and soil properties (e.g., clay content, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen). For instance, acidic soils enhanced UE activity, while neutral soils reduced it. These findings emphasize the complex interactions between MPs and soil ecosystems, highlighting the need for context-specific environmental management strategies and policy-making approaches to mitigate the impacts of MPs pollution on soil health.
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This meta-analysis pools data from 72 studies to examine how microplastics change soil enzyme activity, which is important for nutrient cycling in farmland. The findings show that biodegradable microplastics have a stronger effect than conventional ones, and that these changes could alter how nutrients move through soil, potentially affecting the crops we grow and eat.
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Researchers investigated how three types of microplastics (HDPE, PP, and PET) affect key soil enzymes involved in nutrient cycling, with and without urea fertilizer. Higher microplastic concentrations significantly reduced enzyme activities by 10-34%, with PP and HDPE causing the strongest effects. While urea partially offset the enzyme inhibition at low microplastic levels, it was unable to counteract the suppression at higher concentrations, highlighting the threat microplastics pose to soil health.
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