Dissecting the negative influence mechanisms of microplastics on plant and microbial mediated nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands

Microplastics can Alter the Nitrogen Cycle in Surface Flow Constructed Wetlands

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Both conventional PVC and biodegradable PLA microplastics disrupted nitrogen cycling in constructed wetlands, with PVC causing ammonium accumulation and PLA acting as a carbon source, while both enhanced biofilm formation and enzyme activities at higher concentrations. These polymer-specific effects on nitrogen dynamics reveal that microplastic contamination poses distinct and complex threats to the water treatment functions of natural and engineered wetlands.

Effects of microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in coastal wetlands: A critical meta-analysis

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This meta-analysis of over 1,000 data points from 34 studies found that microplastics significantly altered certain carbon and nitrogen cycling indicators in coastal wetlands under laboratory conditions, but tidal simulation experiments more representative of real environments showed no significant effects. The findings caution against over-interpreting lab results and highlight that tidal dynamics and vegetation factors are often missing from experimental designs.

Hormetic dose-response relationships between polystyrene microplastics and nitrogen elimination decoded by biofilm dynamics in electro-assisted constructed wetlands

Microplastics in Wetland Ecosystem: A Complex Nexus and Way Forward

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This review examines the distribution, fate, and ecological impacts of microplastics in wetland ecosystems, which serve as both sinks and potential secondary sources of microplastic contamination. Wetlands filter water supplies and support biodiversity, so microplastic accumulation there directly threatens aquatic food webs, drinking water quality, and the communities that depend on these ecosystems.

Mechanistic insights into microplastic-mediated shifts in nitrogen metabolism and sensory quality across emergent and submerged-plant wetlands: Evidence from metagenomics and physiological indicators

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Researchers exposed surface-flow constructed wetlands planted with emergent and submerged macrophytes to polystyrene microplastics and found a 12.64% reduction in total nitrogen removal in the emergent plant system, driven by shifts in nitrogen-cycling microbial communities. PS-MPs also altered sensory water quality indicators, with effects varying by plant type.