We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Responses of Pb speciation and bioavailability in loessial soil (sierozem) to the presence of polystyrene microplastics with different size and abundance
AI summary Read the abstract
A 60-day soil incubation experiment showed that polystyrene microplastics alter soil pH, microbial community structure, and enzyme activity in ways that shift lead (Pb) from a stable residual state into more bioavailable forms. This means microplastics don't just contaminate soil themselves — they amplify the toxicity of co-occurring heavy metals, compounding risks to agriculture and human health.
The interaction between microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals (HMs) has garnered significant attention. However, the mechanism by which MPs influence the physicochemical properties of soil and microbial community structure, thereby driving the transformation of HMs speciation, remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of polystyrene-MPs (PS) on the soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, microbial community diversity and structure, and Pb speciation distribution and bioavailability, while the mechanisms was explored. PS with 1 mm (PS1) and 100 μm (PS0.1) size and dose (0.1%, 1%, and 10%, w/w) incubated into a loessial soil (sierozem) contaminated with Pb (1000 mg·kg− 1) for 60 days. Soil properties were examined. Bacterial community changes were assessed using 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing. pH and CEC decreased, while the SOM increased significantly with increasing PS dose. The presence of PS0.1 reduced ammonium nitrogen and available potassium contents, with a 10% dose resulting in reductions of 12.93% and 74.33%, respectively. PS decreased the activities of sucrase and alkaline phosphatase and enhanced urease activity. PS also increased the Shannon, Simpson, and Chao1 indices of bacterial communities. The presence of PS1 resulted in 1.55% to 7.71% decrease in the speciation of residual state (F4) Pb, increasing bioavailability. F4 fraction was negatively correlated with NH4+-N content and positively correlated with sucrase activity. Structural equation modeling revealed that PS dose, pH and available phosphorus were the primary factors driving the transformation of Pb speciation.
More Papers Like This
Interactions of Microplastics with Co-Occurring Pollutants in Soil Environment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics in soils interact with co-occurring pollutants including heavy metals, organic contaminants, and biological pollutants, analyzing the mechanisms and environmental factors governing these complex interactions. Because microplastics act as vectors that adsorb and transport other contaminants through soil, understanding these interactions is critical for assessing the combined toxicity and ecological risk of plastic pollution in terrestrial food-producing systems.
Microplastic in Soil Ecosystem: Transition and Ecological Impacts
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined how microplastics transition through soil ecosystems, alter soil structure, affect microbial communities, and impact plant health and agricultural productivity. Soil microplastic contamination is a growing threat to food security because it degrades the biological systems that underpin crop growth while simultaneously introducing chemical additives into the root zone where they can be taken up by edible plants.
Interactıon of Micro-Nanoplastics and Heavy Metals in Soil Systems: Mechanism and Implication
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how micro- and nanoplastics interact with heavy metals in soil, finding that plastics can alter metal mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity through adsorption and chemical reactions, raising concern that plastic pollution may worsen the risk posed by existing heavy metal contamination in agricultural and urban soils.
Comparative study of the effects of pristine and aged PBAT microplastics on soil microbial community composition and nitrogen transformation
AI summary Read the abstract
Pristine and UV-aged PBAT biodegradable microplastics both altered soil nitrogen cycling, boosting microbial biomass and nitrogen-fixing bacteria while significantly suppressing nitrification rates by up to 68%, with UV aging moderating some of these effects. The finding that biodegradable plastics still disrupt key soil nutrient pathways challenges the assumption that they are environmentally benign alternatives to conventional plastics.
Soil Pollution by Micro- and Nanoplastics: Sources, Fate, and Impact
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examine how micro- and nanoplastics enter soil systems, persist through environmental processes, and threaten soil fertility and ecosystem health, with direct implications for agricultural productivity, food security, and human health.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.