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Microplastics and anammox: Unravelling the hidden threats to nitrogen cycling and microbial resilience
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This review examined how microplastics disrupt nitrogen cycling in soil by interfering with specialized bacteria that remove nitrogen from the environment. Researchers found that microplastics alter microbial habitats, destabilize bacterial communities, and attract heavy metals that further inhibit these essential soil processes, with effects varying based on soil acidity and organic matter content.
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants that significantly alter soil ecosystems, particularly by disrupting nitrogen (N) cycling processes. This review assessed the impact of MPs on anaerobic ammonia oxidation (AnAOB) in soil, with a focus on their interactions with key soil parameters such as soil texture, pH, organic matter, heavy metals, and biofilm formation. Microplastics influence N removal efficiency (NRE) by modifying microbial habitats, destabilizing biofilms, and altering enzymatic activities. Their hydrophobic and electrostatic properties facilitate the adsorption of heavy metals, which further inhibit activity of anammox bacteria. The anammox bacteria perform optimally in neutral to slightly alkaline conditions (pH 7.5-8.5), where enzymatic activities remain stable, supporting efficient N removal. In acidic soils (pH < 6.5), MPs undergo increased chemical leaching, releasing toxic additives and heavy metals that impair microbial function. However, in alkaline conditions (pH > 8.5), heavy metals remain bound to MPs, reducing their bioavailability and limiting microbial accessibility to essential nutrients. Organic matter-rich soils enhance microbial resilience but can also shift competition toward denitrifies, potentially increasing nitrate accumulation and nitrous oxide emissions. Biofilms formed on MPs can act as microbial hotspots, stabilizing bacterial populations while reducing anammox efficiency by promoting non-anammox N transformations. The presence of MPs not only enhance anammox activity but also increase the abundance of denitrification genes, contributing to enhanced N reduction processes. These findings indicate that MPs not only alter soil microbial dynamics but also disrupt the delicate balance of the N cycle, leading to reduced NRE and increased greenhouse gas emissions, raising concerns about their long-term impact on soil fertility and ecosystem sustainability.
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This study found that microplastics in soil disrupted key nitrogen cycling processes carried out by bacteria, including nitrification and other pathways essential for soil fertility. Different types of microplastics had varying effects on the microbial communities responsible for converting nitrogen into forms plants can use. Since nitrogen availability directly affects crop growth, microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could subtly undermine food production.
Microplastic pollution on the soil and its consequences on the nitrogen cycle: a review
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This review examines microplastic pollution impacts on soil nitrogen cycling, finding that microplastics alter soil structure, serve as novel microbial colonization surfaces, and affect the microbial communities responsible for nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification.
Polyethylene microplastic and soil nitrogen dynamics: Unraveling the links between functional genes, microbial communities, and transformation processes
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Researchers conducted a six-month experiment to understand how polyethylene microplastics in soil affect nitrogen cycling, a process critical for soil fertility and plant nutrition. They found that while total nitrogen levels stayed stable, microplastics significantly altered the forms of nitrogen present by increasing ammonium and nitrate while decreasing dissolved organic nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastics reshape soil microbial communities and their nitrogen-processing activities, potentially disrupting the natural nutrient balance in agricultural soils.
Recent advances in impacts of microplastics on nitrogen cycling in the environment: A review
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This review examined how microplastics affect nitrogen cycling, a critical process in soil, water, and sediment ecosystems driven by microbial communities. Researchers found that the type, size, and concentration of microplastics can alter microbial populations responsible for nitrogen transformation, disrupting processes like nitrification and denitrification. The study highlights that chemical additives released from microplastics may also play a role, though the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood.
Microplastic effects on soil nitrogen storage, nitrogen emissions, and ammonia volatilization in relation to soil health and crop productivity: mechanism and future consideration
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This review examines how microplastics made from polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene affect nitrogen cycling and ammonia release in agricultural soils. Researchers found that these plastic particles can alter soil structure, shift microbial community composition, and disrupt the processes that store and release nitrogen. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in farmland may have cascading effects on soil fertility and crop productivity.
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