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Microplastics and biochar interactively affect nitrous oxide emissions from tobacco planting soil
Summary
Researchers examined how different types of microplastics from agricultural mulch interact with rice biochar to affect nitrous oxide emissions from tobacco-growing soil in China. They found that the combined effects of microplastics and biochar on soil emissions differed depending on the plastic polymer type, with some combinations reducing emissions while others did not. The study reveals the complex interplay between plastic residues and soil amendments in agricultural greenhouse gas dynamics.
Biochar application to amend acidified tobacco-soils can enhance tobacco quality and reduce nitrous oxide (NO) emissions. Microplastics from agricultural mulch are commonly found in cash-crop farmland soils and, together with biochar, affect soil NO emissions. In this study, we applied three types of microplastics (polyethylene, PE; polylactic acid, PLA; polybutylene adipate terephthalate, PBAT) and rice biochar alone or in combination to acidified tobacco planting soil in central China to investigate their effects on soil NO emissions, soil chemical properties, nitrogen-cycle-related functional genes, and microbial functional diversity during a 35-day laboratory incubation period. Significant increases in N₂O emissions were observed with PE and PLA, which raised emissions by 15.96 % and 21.52 %, respectively. Additionally, different microplastics affected soil N₂O emissions through distinct regulatory pathways. Co-application of microplastics and biochar suppressed NO emissions compared to microplastics alone. Biochar mitigates NO emissions mainly by increasing the abundance of the nosZ gene. It can remediate soil contaminated by microplastics and reduce their negative impacts on the soil environment. This study provides deeper insight into the effects of microplastics on soil nitrogen cycling and biochar-mitigated remediation of microplastic-contaminated soil.
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