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Microplastics can affect soil properties and chemical speciation of metals in yellow-brown soil
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Researchers added five polymer types (LLDPE, PA, PU, PS, LDPE) at various concentrations to yellow-brown soil and measured their effects on soil physicochemical properties and the speciation of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc. MPs shifted heavy metal distribution toward more bioavailable fractions, suggesting that microplastic contamination can increase the extractability and potential toxicity of co-occurring metals in soil.
Although the influence of microplastics (MPs) in different soil environments has been investigated, their effects on the physiochemical properties and chemical speciation of heavy metals in yellow-brown soil remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the effects of various concentrations of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polyamide (PA), polyurethane (PU), polystyrene (PS), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) MPs on the yellow-brown soil environment and chemical speciation of the heavy metals cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). MPs influenced the physicochemical properties and chemical speciation of heavy metals in yellow-brown soil. The physicochemical properties of yellow-brown soil can be altered by changing the concentrations of LDPE MP. The relationship between changes in field capacity (FC) and LDPE concentrations was approximately linear. The physiochemical properties of yellow-brown soil containing added PA, PU, and LDPE MPs were substantially improved (control vs. MPs): FC, 39 % vs. 42.50 % for PU, cation exchange capacity (CEC) 45.77, 56.65, and 57.44 cmol.kg for PA, PU, and LDPE respectively, and organic matter (OM) content, 40.16 vs. 51.68 g.kg for PA. The LLDPE and PU MPs also simultaneously affected the chemical speciation of heavy metals in yellow-brown soil. The LLDPE MPs increased the acid-soluble (45.17-54.67 % (Cd-F1), 7.24-11.30 % (Cu-F1), 4.20-7.23 % (Pb-F1), 21.21-31.47 % (Zn-F1)) and reducible (24.02-29.41 % (Cd-F2), 25.69-34.95 % (Cu-F2), 74.29-81.07 % (Pb-F2), 28.77-34.19 % (Zn-F2)) fractions of heavy metals, which increased their bioavailability. However, PU MPs reduced the ecological risk of heavy metals in yellow-brown soil by increasing the content of the residual fraction (26.11-40.21 % (Cd-F4), 47.63-59.67 % (Cu-F4), 17.25-26.76 % (Pb-F4), 32.63-50.46 % (Zn-F4)). Changes in the properties of yellow-brown soil and the impact of MPs on heavy metals, might change the chemical speciation of heavy metals. The impact of MPs on heavy metals in yellow-brown soil requires further investigation.
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