0
Article Tier 2 Detection Methods Environmental Sources Sign in to save

Black carbon derived from pyrolysis of maize straw and polystyrene microplastics affects soil biodiversity

The Science of The Total Environment 2023 12 citations

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers found that black carbon produced from co-pyrolysis of maize straw and polystyrene microplastics alters soil microbial diversity and community structure, with effects depending on the ratio of straw to microplastic feedstock, raising concerns about using pyrolysis biochar in agricultural soils.

Polymers

Understanding the environmental correlation of microbial community under external stimulation is significant for ecological restoration. However, few studies focused on the response of soil biodiversity induced by black carbon (BC) derived from pyrolysis of straw and microplastics (MPs) due to their widespread existence in natural environment. In this study, polystyrene MPs (PS) and maize straw with different mass ratios were used as raw materials to prepare BC by pyrolysis. The surface morphology, chemical composition and sequential variations of different functional groups of BC were systematically analyzed. The leachate from BC was identified by three-dimensional excitation emission matrice (3D-EEM). The corresponding results showed that yield, value of O/C and N element content of BC decreased with more PS. The changed C content and oxygen-containing functional groups occurred. The order of functional groups of BC formed by co-pyrolysis was: C=C > C-O > C-H > Si-O-Si. The main component of leaching from BC was humic-like and fulvic-like acid. Simultaneously, the input of exogenous BC into soil affected abundance, composition and metabolic pathways of microorganisms. The study helps to understand environmental implication of BC which was pyrolyzed from maize straw and MPs, providing an idea for improving biogeochemical cycle process in soil.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Biochar alters chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers found that biochar amendments improved chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil, with effects varying by biochar type and water conditions, suggesting biochar as a potential remediation tool for plastic-polluted agricultural soils.

Article Tier 2

Combined effect of biochar and soil moisture on soil chemical properties and microbial community composition in microplastic‐contaminated agricultural soil

AI summary Read the abstract

Biochar was applied to microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil under different moisture conditions, with results showing that biochar improved soil chemical properties and shifted microbial communities in ways that partially offset microplastic-induced degradation. The study suggests biochar as a practical soil amendment to mitigate microplastic impacts in farming systems.

Article Tier 2

Mixing effect of polylactic acid microplastic and straw residue on soil property and ecological function

AI summary Read the abstract

A pot experiment examined effects of polylactic acid (biodegradable) microplastics and straw residue on soil microbial communities and carbon/nitrogen dynamics, finding that PLA MPs had minimal effect on bacterial diversity but interacted with carbon availability to alter microbial function. The results suggest biodegradable microplastics are not ecologically neutral in soil ecosystems.

Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics distinctly affect soil microbial community and carbon and nitrogen cycling during plant litter decomposition

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers measured how polyethylene microplastics affect soil microbial communities and carbon cycling in agricultural soils, finding that microplastic addition shifted microbial diversity and suppressed key carbon mineralization processes. The results suggest microplastic accumulation in farmland could impair soil carbon storage.

Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable microplastics coexistence with biochars produced at low and high temperatures on bacterial community structure and phenanthrene degradation in soil

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers investigated how biodegradable microplastics interact with biochar in soil to affect bacterial communities and pollutant degradation. The study found that the coexistence of PBAT microplastics and biochar significantly altered soil microbial structure and influenced the degradation of phenanthrene, suggesting complex interactions between these increasingly common soil amendments.

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.

Email me about

Share this paper