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Effects of biodegradable microplastics on arsenic migration and transformation in paddy soils: a comparative analysis with conventional microplastics
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This study compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics affect the movement and chemical transformation of arsenic in rice paddy soils. Researchers found that both types of microplastics influenced arsenic behavior, but biodegradable plastics had distinct effects on soil chemistry, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are always safer for agricultural environments.
The combined pollution of microplastics (MPs) and arsenic (As) in paddy soils has attracted more attention worldwide. However, there are few comparative studies on the effects of biodegradable and conventional MPs on As migration and transformation. Therefore, conventional (polystyrene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride) and biodegradable (polybutadiene styrene, polylactic acid, polybutylene adipate terephthalate) MPs were selected to explore and demonstrate their influences and mechanism on As migration from paddy soils to overlying water and As speciation transformation through microcosmic experiment with measuring the changes of As chemical distribution, physicochemical indexes and microbial community in paddy soils. The results showed that biodegradable MPs enhanced As migration and transformation more effective than conventional MPs during 60 d. Biodegradable MPs indirectly increased the content of As(Ⅲ) and bioavailable As by changing the microbial community structure and affecting the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and iron in soils, and promoted the As migration and transformation. PBS showed the strongest promoting effect, transforming to more As(Ⅲ) (11.43%) and bioavailable As (4.28%) than control. This helps to a better understanding of the effects of MPs on As biogeochemical cycle and to clarify the ecological and food safety risks of their combined pollution in soils.
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Conventional and biodegradable microplastics affected arsenic mobility and methylation in paddy soils through distinct chemical-microbial pathways
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A 98-day paddy soil experiment found that conventional microplastics reduced arsenic in porewater but increased methylated arsenic fractions, while biodegradable microplastics increased both porewater arsenic and methylation, suggesting distinct chemical-microbial pathways affecting arsenic mobility and toxicity.
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When farmers irrigate rice fields with arsenic-contaminated water, plastic pollution in the soil makes things worse—and surprisingly, "biodegradable" plastic (PLA) may be more harmful than regular plastic in this case. High amounts of biodegradable plastic actually released more toxic arsenic into the soil and water than conventional plastic, and also reduced the diversity of helpful soil microbes. This matters because arsenic can build up in rice and enter our food supply, so switching to "eco-friendly" plastics isn't automatically safer—it depends on the specific pollution context, and this needs more attention
Mechanistic insight into interactive effect of microplastics and arsenic on growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and soil health indicators
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Researchers tested how different types of microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice paddy soil, finding that biodegradable PLA microplastics actually increased arsenic uptake by rice plants by up to 39%. In contrast, conventional polyethylene microplastics slightly reduced arsenic absorption. This is an important finding because as agriculture shifts toward biodegradable plastics, they may inadvertently increase the transfer of toxic heavy metals from soil into food crops.
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Researchers found that polylactic acid (PLA), a common biodegradable microplastic, increased the availability of toxic arsenic in rice paddies by changing soil chemistry and promoting bacteria that convert arsenic into more dangerous forms. Nano-sized PLA particles were particularly harmful, promoting arsenic uptake into rice plants, while larger particles actually blocked it. This study is important for food safety because it shows that even biodegradable plastics in agricultural soil can increase toxic contamination in rice, a staple food for billions of people.
Water-dependent effects of biodegradable microplastics on arsenic fractionation in soil: Insights from enzyme degradation and synchrotron-based X-ray analysis
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This study examined water-dependent effects of biodegradable microplastics on arsenic fractionation in soil, finding that moisture regime significantly modifies how biodegradable plastic additions alter arsenic mobility and bioavailability.
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