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LDPE and biodegradable PLA-PBAT plastics differentially affect plant-soil nitrogen partitioning and dynamics in a Hordeum vulgare mesocosm
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Researchers compared how conventional LDPE plastic and biodegradable PLA-PBAT plastic affect nitrogen cycling in soil where barley was growing. LDPE microplastics reduced the amount of fertilizer nitrogen taken up by plants and increased nitrogen lost through leaching, while biodegradable plastics boosted microbial activity in the soil. The study shows that different types of plastic pollution affect soil nutrient cycles in different ways, which could influence both crop nutrition and groundwater contamination.
Micro and macroplastics are emerging contaminants in agricultural settings, yet their impact on nitrogen (N) cycling and partitioning in plant-soil-microbial systems is poorly understood. In this mesocosm-scale study, spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was exposed to macro or microplastic produced from low density polyethylene (LDPE) or biodegradable plastic at concentrations equivalent to 1, 10 and 20 years of plastic mulch film use. Partitioning of 15N-labelled fertiliser into plant biomass, soil and leachate yielded a partial mass balance. Soil N partitioning was probed via compound-specific 15N-stable isotope analyses of soil microbial protein. Concentration-dependent decreases in plant 15N uptake occurred with increased leached nitrogen for LDPE microplastic. Assimilation into soil microbial protein was higher for biodegradable plastics, which we associate with early-stage biodegradable plastic degradation. Partitioning of 15N into inorganic soil N pools was affected by LDPE size, with lower assimilation into the microbial protein pool. While microplastics and macroplastics altered soil N cycling, the limited impacts on plant health indicated the threshold for negative effects was not reached at agriculturally relevant concentrations. This study highlights the difference between conventional and biodegradable plastics, and emphasises that the interplay of micro and macroplastics on soil N cycling must be considered in future studies.
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LDPE and biodegradable plastics differentially affect plant-soil nitrogen partitioning and microbial uptake
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Researchers found that both conventional LDPE and biodegradable plastics at concentrations simulating years of mulch film use altered nitrogen cycling in agricultural soil, reducing microbial nitrogen uptake and affecting nitrogen partitioning between soil and plant biomass without significantly harming barley growth.
Field response of N2O emissions, microbial communities, soil biochemical processes and winter barley growth to the addition of conventional and biodegradable microplastics
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Researchers conducted a field study comparing the effects of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PLA microplastics on soil greenhouse gas emissions, microbial communities, and winter barley growth. They found that both types of microplastics altered soil nitrogen cycling and microbial community composition, though biodegradable plastics showed distinct degradation patterns. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable agricultural plastics does not necessarily eliminate the environmental impacts of microplastic contamination in farmland soils.
Response of peanut plant and soil N-fixing bacterial communities to conventional and biodegradable microplastics
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Researchers tested how conventional plastics (polyethylene and polystyrene) and a biodegradable plastic (polylactic acid) affect peanut plant growth and nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria. They found that while none of the plastics reduced plant biomass, the biodegradable PLA at high doses dramatically altered soil nitrogen levels and bacterial community composition. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics may not be as harmless to agricultural soil ecosystems as commonly assumed.
Unraveling consequences of soil micro- and nano-plastic pollution on soil-plant system: Implications for nitrogen (N) cycling and soil microbial activity
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This review examines how micro- and nano-plastics affect soil microbial activity and nitrogen cycling in agricultural ecosystems, finding mixed effects that depend on polymer type and size. The authors highlight concerns about biodegradable plastics posing greater risks to plant growth than conventional plastics, complicating the assumption that biodegradable options are always safer.
Insights into soil microbial assemblages and nitrogen cycling function responses to conventional and biodegradable microplastics
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Researchers compared how biodegradable polylactic acid and conventional PVC microplastics affect soil bacteria and nitrogen cycling processes. They found that both types of microplastics altered microbial communities, but biodegradable plastics had distinct effects on nitrogen-processing bacteria and did not simply behave as a harmless alternative. The study suggests that switching to biodegradable plastics may change rather than eliminate the impact of microplastic contamination on soil health.
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