We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
New insights into changes in phosphorus profile at sediment-water interface by microplastics: Role of benthic bioturbation
AI summary Read the abstract
The study examined how different types of microplastics affect phosphorus cycling at the sediment-water interface through their impacts on burrowing chironomid larvae. Researchers found that both bio-based and fossil fuel-based microplastics altered the larvae's biochemical responses and disrupted phosphorus profiles, suggesting microplastics can indirectly affect nutrient dynamics in freshwater ecosystems.
Microplastics (MPs) have attracted increasing attention due to their ubiquitous occurrence in freshwater sediments and the detrimental effects on benthic invertebrates. However, a clear understanding of their downstream impacts on ecosystem services is still lacking. This study examines the effects of bio-based polylactic acid (PLA), fuel-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and biofilm-covered PET (BPET) MPs on the bioturbator chironomid larvae (Tanypus chinensis), and the influence on phosphorus (P) profiles in microcosms. The changes in biochemical responses and metabolic pathways indicated that MPs disrupted energy synthesis by causing intestinal blockage and oxidative stress in T. chinensis, leading to energy depletion and impaired bioturbation activity. The impairment further resulted in enhanced sedimentary P immobilization. For larval treatments, the internal-P loadings were respectively 11.4%, 8.6%, and 9.0% higher in the PLA, PET, and BPET groups compared to the non-MP control. Furthermore, the influence of bioturbation on P profiles was MP-type dependent. Both BPET and PLA treatments displayed more obvious impacts on P profiles compared to PET due to the changes in MP bioavailability or sediment microenvironment. This study connects individual physiological responses to broader ecosystem services, showing that MPs alter P biogeochemical processes by disrupting the bioturbation activities of chironomid larvae.
More Papers Like This
Effects of microplastics on nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and microbial communities in sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that PVC, PLA, and polypropylene microplastics altered nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments by shifting microbial community composition, with effects varying by polymer type and biodegradability.
Varied influence of aged microplastics and related leachates on phosphorus transformation and release from the sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how aged microplastics and their chemical leachates affect phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments, a process linked to harmful algal blooms. They found that different types of weathered plastics and their leachates altered microbial communities and shifted the forms of phosphorus present in sediments. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in lake and river sediments may contribute to nutrient imbalances that worsen water quality problems.
Microplastics alter the microbiota-mediated phosphorus profiles at sediment-water interface: Distinct microbial effects between sediment and plastisphere
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that microplastics in lake sediments change how bacteria process phosphorus, a key nutrient in freshwater ecosystems. Both petroleum-based and biodegradable microplastics altered bacterial communities and phosphorus cycling, but in different ways depending on whether bacteria were in the sediment or on the plastic surfaces. These changes could contribute to water quality problems like algal blooms that affect both ecosystems and the drinking water supply.
Environmental fate and biogeochemical impacts of microplastics on phosphorus cycling across aquatic interfaces
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles in our lakes and rivers don't just pollute water, they're quietly messing with phosphorus, a nutrient that controls algae growth and water quality. This review of 38 studies found that microplastics change how phosphorus moves and cycles by altering bacteria communities and chemical reactions in water, which could worsen problems like harmful algae blooms that affect drinking water safety. The research is still early-stage (mostly lab experiments), but it's a reminder that plastic pollution's effects go beyond what we can see, reaching into the basic chemistry that keeps water ecosystems, and the water we dep
Microplastics Affect Sediment Phosphorus Transformation: Based on the Interplay of Bioturbation and Microbial Regulation
AI summary Read the abstract
This study investigated how microplastics (polypropylene, polystyrene, and polylactic acid) affect phosphorus cycling in river sediments, finding that MP contamination altered the distribution of phosphorus fractions and that bioturbation by benthic animals changed how MPs interacted with nutrient transformation processes.
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.