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Potential Effect of Biochar on Soil Properties, Microbial Activity and Vicia faba Properties Affected by Microplastics Contamination

Agronomy 2023 36 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.

Fathy Elbehiry Heba Elbasiouny, Heba Elbasiouny, Heba Elbasiouny, Heba Elbasiouny, Fathy Elbehiry Fathy Elbehiry Azza A. Mostafa, Heba Elbasiouny, Amina Zedan, Amina Zedan, Amina Zedan, Heba Elbasiouny, Sara Mohamed Amer, Hala M. Elbltagy, Hala M. Elbltagy, Sara Mohamed Amer, Fathy Elbehiry Sherifa Dawoud, Nour Osman Albeialy, Fathy Elbehiry Nour Osman Albeialy, Heba Elbasiouny, Sherifa Dawoud, Doaa Shokry Alkharsawey, Bodor A. Elbanna, Doaa Shokry Alkharsawey, Safaa A. El-Shazly, Safaa A. El-Shazly, Nora Rabiea Aeash, Nora Rabiea Aeash, Amany A. El-Sadawy, Fathy Elbehiry Amira Osama Abuomar, Amira Osama Abuomar, Amany A. El-Sadawy, Rehab Elsayed Hamd, Aisha M. Sharaf-Eldin, Aisha M. Sharaf-Eldin, Rehab Elsayed Hamd, Hala M. Elbltagy, Hala M. Elbltagy, Marwa Darweesh, Marwa Darweesh, Al-Zahraa E. E. Ebrahim, Bodor A. Elbanna, Safaa A. El-Shazly, Sara Mohamed Amer, Sara Mohamed Amer, Safaa A. El-Shazly, Nour Osman Albeialy, Nour Osman Albeialy, Sherifa Dawoud, Sherifa Dawoud, Doaa Shokry Alkharsawey, Doaa Shokry Alkharsawey, Amany A. El-Sadawy, Amany A. El-Sadawy, Aisha M. Sharaf-Eldin, Nora Rabiea Aeash, Nora Rabiea Aeash, Aisha M. Sharaf-Eldin, Amira Osama Abuomar, Amira Osama Abuomar, Marwa Darweesh, Marwa Darweesh, Rehab Elsayed Hamd, Al-Zahraa E. E. Ebrahim, Rehab Elsayed Hamd, Fathy Elbehiry

Summary

Researchers found that microplastic contamination significantly altered soil properties and reduced Vicia faba plant growth and microbial activity, while biochar amendment at 2% effectively mitigated these adverse effects.

Microplastics (MPs) contamination is an emerging issue globally; however, adverse impacts of MPs on soil, plants and microbial activity have not been intensively studied. In this study, the potential effect of different levels of MPs (1.5, 7.5, 15%) has been investigated on soil properties, plant properties (Vicia Faba) and microbial activities through a pot experiment. The effect of biochar (BC: 2%) to mitigate the adverse effects of MP has also been examined. Soil properties (pH, EC, OM, CaCO3 and some elements) have significantly differed due to contamination of soil by MPs as well as by adding BC to the soil. The pH and CaCO3 were significantly increased more than in the control, while EC, TDS, available P, Mn and Fe were significantly decreased lower than the control, which implies adsorption on microplastic. Plant properties, such as enzymes, chlorophyll and fresh and dry weight in roots, were adversely affected by MPs contamination; however, BC mitigated this effect, especially with low contamination levels of MPs. The fresh and dry weight of the shoot was not significantly affected by MPs. The cytogenetic analysis showed that the mitotic index was significantly reduced compared to the control (9.39%), while BC increased the mitotic index at 1.5% MPs (7.11%) although it was less than the control. The percentage of abnormalities of V. faba root tip cells under different levels of MPs was significantly increased more than the control; however, BC mitigated this effect, especially at 7.5% MPs. The total count of bacteria and fungi even in soil or in the rhizosphere area did not follow a clear trend; however, the effect of BC was clear in increasing their activities. Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were also significantly affected by MPs and BC. In this study, the BC level was low, however, it mitigated some adverse effects of MPs, especially at 1.5 and 7.5% of MPs. Thus, the BC could be promising in mitigating the negative impacts of MPs when applied with suitable levels that need more future studies.

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