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Co-exposure of microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls strongly influenced the cycling processes of typical biogenic elements in anoxic soil

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2023 14 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Guangxue Xie, Lianzhen Li Shaochong Liu, Lianzhen Li Shaochong Liu, Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Guangxue Xie, Qian Hou, Lianzhen Li Shaochong Liu, Shaochong Liu, Lianzhen Li Shaochong Liu, Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Qian Hou, Yan Xu, Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Yan Xu, Shaochong Liu, Lianzhen Li Yan Xu, Shaochong Liu, Lianzhen Li Xilin She, Yan Xu, Guangxue Xie, Xilin She, Guangxue Xie, Lianzhen Li Xilin She, Xilin She, Yan Xu, Yan Xu, Xilin She, Xilin She, Xilin She, Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Xilin She, Xilin She, Lianzhen Li Lianzhen Li Xilin She, Lianzhen Li Yan Xu, Yan Xu, Xilin She, Lianzhen Li Xilin She, Lianzhen Li

Summary

Researchers examined how co-exposure to polyethylene microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affects the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, iron, and sulfur in oxygen-depleted soil over 255 days. The presence of microplastics enhanced some processes like methane production and iron reduction while inhibiting nitrate reduction and PCB degradation. The study found that microplastics significantly altered the functional microbial communities responsible for these biogeochemical cycles, suggesting that combined plastic and chemical pollution creates more severe effects than either pollutant alone.

Polymers

The co-exposure of microplastics (MPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil is inevitable, but their combined effect on cycles of typical biogenic elements (e.g. C, N, Fe, S) is still unclear. And the co-exposure of MPs and PCBs caused more severe effects than single exposure to pollution. Therefore, in this study, a 255-day anaerobic incubation experiment was conducted by adding polyethylene microplastics (PE MPs, including 30 ± 10 μm and 500 μm) and PCB138. The presence of PE MPs inhibited the PCB138 degradation. Also, PE MPs addition (1%, w/w) enhanced the methanogenesis, Fe(Ⅲ) reduction, and sulfate reduction while inhibited nitrate reduction and the biodegradation of PCB138. And PCB138 addition (10 mg·kg) promoted the methanogenesis and Fe(Ⅲ) reduction, but inhibited sulfate reduction and nitrate reduction. Strikingly, the presence of PE MPs significantly reduced the impact of PCB138 on the soil redox processes. The abundance changes of special microbial communities, including Anaeromyxobate, Geobacter, Bacillus, Desulfitobacterium, Thermodesulfovibrio, Metanobacterium, etc., were consistent with the changes in soil redox processes, revealing that the effect of PE MPs and/or PCB138 on the cycle of typical biogenic elements was mainly achieved by altering the functional microorganisms. This study improves the knowledge of studies on the impact of MPs and combined organic pollutants to soil redox processes, which is greatly important to the stabilization and balance of biogeochemical cycling in ecology.

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