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Ecotoxicological effects of microplastic types and concentrations in combination with Cd on the bioenergy plant sweet sorghum: Growth and rhizosphere microbiome analysis
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Researchers tested sweet sorghum plants grown in soil polluted with cadmium and three types of microplastics (PVC, PE, PP) at different levels. The combined pollution reduced plant growth, lowered soil nutrients, and changed soil bacteria and genes involved in nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, with effects depending on microplastic type and amount.
Complex interactions occur when microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals cooccur as pollutants, and these interactions have become a popular research topic. However, there is a lack of research examining the impact of concurrent pollution from MPs and heavy metals on the soil microbial community and its roles in nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of composite pollution from cadmium (Cd) and different types of MPs (e.g., PVC, PE, and PP) at different concentrations (0.1 % and 0.5 %) on the growth of sweet sorghum , an energy plant, and evaluated Cd accumulation in sweet sorghum and the expression of genes related to soil nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. The results indicated that the growth of sweet sorghum was negatively impacted by combined treatment with the three types of microplastics and Cd, with the composite stress trend being 0.5 % > 0.1 %. The contents of mineral nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil decreased due to MP+Cd pollution. Cocontamination with MP and Cd significantly affected the microbial community composition and increased the activity of enzymes such as urease . MP+Cd pollution affected the composition and abundance of functional genes related to nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. The type and concentration of microplastics were identified as the primary factors influencing the composition and abundance of functional genes. Bacteria belonging to Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria are key to soil nitrogen cycling , while Acidobacteria plays crucial roles in soil phosphorus cycling. Metagenomic analysis was performed in this study to determine the impact of microplastic–heavy metal pollution on soil microbial communities and functions and to provide a reference for the environmental assessment of soils contaminated by both microplastics and heavy metals.
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Researchers examined how different types and sizes of microplastics interact with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, to affect sorghum growth and soil microbes. They found that the combined pollution generally increased plant stress and cadmium uptake, with effects varying by plastic type, particle size, and concentration. The study also revealed that the pollution mixture significantly altered soil bacterial communities and key metabolic pathways involved in nutrient cycling.
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Researchers examined how combined cadmium and polypropylene microplastic contamination affects sorghum growth and the bacterial communities in both rhizosphere soil and on the plastic surfaces. They found that co-contamination inhibited sorghum development more severely than either pollutant alone, and the bacterial community on the plastic surface was structurally simpler with lower diversity than in surrounding soil. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated soils can serve as distinct microbial habitats that differ significantly from the native soil environment.
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Microplastics and toxic heavy metals like cadmium often pollute farmland together, and this study found that this combo stunts the growth of sorghum (a crop used for biofuel) more than either pollutant alone, especially when the plastic type is PVC. The silver lining: certain soil bacteria adapted to this pollution by evolving ways to break down plastic and resist heavy metals, and these bacteria actually helped the plants grow better despite the contamination, hinting at a possible future strategy for cleaning up polluted soil using plants and microbes together.
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