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Unravelling the influence of microplastics with/without additives on radish (Raphanus sativus) and microbiota in two agricultural soils differing in pH
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Researchers tested how three types of microplastics, with and without chemical additives, affected radish growth and soil microbial communities in acidic versus slightly alkaline soils. They found that the effects varied dramatically based on soil pH, with alkaline soils showing more consistent increases in nutrient release and heavy metal availability. The study highlights that the environmental impact of microplastic pollution depends heavily on local soil conditions, making blanket assessments difficult.
Here we investigated the effects of three types of microplastics (MPs), i.e., PS (P), ABS (B), PVC (V), and each with additive (MPAs) (PA, BA, and VA), on soil health, microbial community, and plant growth in two acidic and slightly alkaline soils. Incubation experiment revealed that although MPs and MPAs consistently stimulated soil nutrients and heavy metals (e.g., Mn, Cu) in weakly alkaline soils, only BA and VA led to increase in soil nutrients and heavy metals in acidic soils. This suggests distinct response patterns in the two soils depending on their initial pH. Concerning microorganisms, MPs and MPAs reduced the assembly degree of bacteria in acidic soils, with a reduction of Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota but an increase of WPS-2 in VA. Culture experiment showed consistent positive or negative responses in radish seed germination, roots, and antioxidant activity across MPs and MPAs types in both soils, while the responses of seed heavy metals (e.g., Cr, Cd) were consistent in acidic soils but dependent on MPs and MPAs types in alkaline soils. Therefore, our study strongly suggests that the effects of MPs on soil-microbial-plant systems were highly dependent on initial soil characteristics and the types of MPs with plastic additives.
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Microplastic Pollution in Andisol: Effects on Soil Microbiology, Nitrogen Cycling, and Raphanus sativus L. Growth
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Researchers assessed how polyamide, LDPE, and polypropylene microplastics affect Andisol soil properties and radish growth, finding microplastics reduced soil nitrogen cycling, disrupted microbial communities, and induced oxidative stress in plants — with effects varying by polymer type.
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Researchers investigated how microplastics affect soil microbial communities and their functions in two different soil types, one acidic and one neutral. They found that microplastics altered bacterial and fungal community composition and disrupted genes involved in carbon cycling, nitrogen metabolism, and pollutant degradation, with effects varying between the two soil types. The study reveals that soil characteristics like pH and existing heavy metal contamination play a significant role in determining how microplastics impact underground ecosystems.
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Scientists tested how tiny plastic bits (from broken-down plastic waste) affect soil health and crop growth when mixed into different soil types—acidic, neutral, and alkaline. They found the plastic changed soil chemistry and microbe communities differently depending on soil type, and it actually stunted buckwheat plant height in neutral soil while boosting plant weight in alkaline soil. This matters because as plastic pollution builds up in farmland worldwide, it could unpredictably affect crop growth and soil quality depending on local soil conditions—something farmers and food safety experts will need to watch closely.
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Researchers examined how different types and concentrations of polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC microplastics affect soil bacteria and fungi in alkaline soil over 310 days, finding that all three stimulated enzyme activities and shifted microbial community abundance patterns.
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