We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Mechanism of polyethylene and biodegradable microplastic aging effects on soil organic carbon fractions in different land-use types
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared how polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics at different stages of aging affect soil organic carbon fractions across various land-use types. The study found that both types of microplastics altered soil carbon dynamics, but the effects depended on the plastic type, its degree of aging, and the specific land-use context.
Microplastics (MPs) are widely present in terrestrial ecosystems, but knowledge about the aging characteristics of MPs in different land-use types and their impact on soil organic carbon fractions is still limited. Polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable MPs (Poly propylene carbonate and Polybutylene adipate terephthalate synthetic material (PPC + PBAT, Bio)), at 0 %, 0.03 %, and 0.3 % (w/w) dosages, were added to grassland, farmland, and facility soils for eight-week incubation. The aging degree of MPs was explored by quantifying the carbonyl index (CI). Soil organic C fractions such as SOC, particulate organic carbon (POC), mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and microbial-derived C were analyzed. MPs underwent rapid aging after incubation, and the CI value for 0.03 % PE-MPs increased from 0.05 to 0.27 (farmland) and 0.26 (facility) (p < 0.05). The aging degree of 0.03 % and 0.3 % Bio-MPs was most significant in grassland, with CI decreasing by 46.6 % and 69.0 %, respectively. The CI of MPs were negatively correlated with their dosage. The 0.03 % and 0.3 % PE-MPs decreased soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 7.4 % and 8.2 % in grassland, and 3.0 % and 6.0 % in the facility (p < 0.05). POC content of farmland and facility soil was negatively correlated with PE-MPs' CI (p < 0.05). The 0.03 % PE and Bio-MPs decreased fungal necromass C (FNC) by 0.40 and 0.05 g kg in grassland and 0.48 and 0.21 g kg in farmland. Besides, the dosage of MPs regulated FNC content through soil pH, nutrients, and extracellular enzyme activity, either directly or indirectly, ultimately affecting the soil C pool. Therefore, this study demonstrates that MPs strongly affect SOC dynamics by influencing soil microbial enzyme activity and fungal necromass.
More Papers Like This
Effect of different polymers of microplastics on soil organic carbon and nitrogen – A mesocosm experiment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that adding polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics to agricultural soil altered carbon and nitrogen dynamics, with biodegradable microplastics having stronger effects on soil organic carbon decomposition and nutrient cycling than conventional plastics.
Microplastics from conventional and biodegradable mulch films alter microbial necromass accumulation and organic carbon sequestration in farmland soils
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared how microplastics from conventional polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films affect soil organic carbon storage over 120 days. They found that both types of microplastics altered microbial activity and reduced the accumulation of microbial-derived carbon in soil. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics, once broken into microplastics, may interfere with soil carbon sequestration in farmland.
Microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities under contrasting soil environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities across contrasting soil environments, finding that the type of microplastic polymer and soil conditions together determine whether microbial activity and carbon cycling are stimulated or suppressed.
Microplastic-induced soil organic carbon transformation: Evaluating the risks of conventional and biodegradable polymers during wet-dry cycles
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers examined how both conventional and biodegradable microplastics alter soil organic carbon fractions—including dissolved, microbial biomass, and particulate carbon—during wet-dry cycles, using fluorescence spectroscopy, CO2 flux measurements, and 16S rRNA sequencing to track how polymer type reshapes carbon transformation pathways and microbial communities.
Differential carbon accumulation of microbial necromass and plant lignin by pollution of polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics in soil
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics changed how carbon is stored in soil. The plastics increased carbon from dead microbes while decreasing carbon from plant material, with most of the additional soil carbon coming from fungal remains. These changes to soil chemistry matter because they could affect agricultural productivity and the ability of soil to store carbon, with broader implications for climate and food systems.
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.