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Deciphering the Fingerprint of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Soil Amended with Biodegradable and Conventional Microplastics Based on Optical and Molecular Signatures
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Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable and conventional microplastics on dissolved organic matter in two soil types using advanced spectroscopy techniques. They found that biodegradable polybutylene succinate significantly increased dissolved organic carbon and generated more biologically active organic molecules, likely due to polymer degradation. Conventional microplastics showed subtler effects that varied between soil types, suggesting that both biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics can alter soil chemistry in distinct ways.
Biodegradable polymers are promoted as promising alternatives for conventional non-degradable plastics, but they may also negatively impact soil ecosystems. Here, we estimated the effects of biodegradable (polylactide (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS)) and non-biodegradable (polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS)) microplastics at a concentration of 1% (w/w) on dissolved organic matter (DOM) in two soil types, a black soil (BS) and a yellow soil (YS), by using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). PBS significantly increased the contents of soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and the relative intensities of protein-like components. The turnover rates of soil DOM were statistically higher in PBS treatments (0.106 and 0.196, p < 0.001) than those in other microplastic groups. The FT-ICR-MS results indicated that more labile-active DOM molecules were preferentially obtained in biodegradable microplastic treatments, which may be attributed to the polymer degradation. The conventional microplastics showed no significant effects on the optical characteristics but changed the molecular compositions of the soil DOM. More labile DOM molecules were observed in BS samples treated with PE compared to the control, while the conventional microplastics decreased the DOM lability in YS soil. The distinct priming effects of plastic-leached DOM may trigger the DOM changes in different soils. This study provided important information for further understanding the impact of microplastics on soil carbon processes.
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Researchers studied two different farm soil types exposed to regular and biodegradable microplastics, tracking changes in dissolved organic matter and soil microbes. In nutrient-poor soil, biodegradable microplastics were linked to greater breakdown of organic matter and microbial changes favoring resource gathering, while in carbon-rich soil, effects were more limited and microbes favored growth-related traits.
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Researchers investigated how biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics affect dissolved organic matter in three different types of paddy soil. They found that the microplastics altered the molecular composition of organic matter in soil-specific ways, with some soils showing increased humic substances and others showing more protein-like compounds. The study highlights that even biodegradable plastics can change soil chemistry, and the effects vary depending on soil type.
Diverse Impacts of Microplastic-derived Dissolved Organic Matter at Environmentally Relevant Concentrations on Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Transformation
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Researchers examined how dissolved organic matter leached from biodegradable and conventional agricultural mulch microplastics affects soil chemistry at environmentally realistic concentrations. They found that UV-exposed microplastic leachates were more bioavailable and caused greater changes to soil organic matter than those produced in dark conditions. The study suggests that even at low concentrations, microplastic-derived compounds can meaningfully alter soil carbon dynamics, with effects varying by soil type.
Biodegradable Polyesters and Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene in Soil: Interrelations of Material Properties, Soil Organic Matter Substances, and Microbial Community
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Researchers examined how biodegradable polyesters and low molecular weight polyethylene behave in soil environments, investigating their interactions with soil organic matter and microbial communities over time. They found that both biodegradable and conventional polymer microplastics alter soil microbial community composition and interact with organic matter fractions, with biodegradable plastics showing distinct but not necessarily more benign effects than conventional plastics.
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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.
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