We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Leachable Additives of Tire Particles Explain the Shift in Microbial Community Composition and Function in Coastal Sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that tire particles deposited in coastal zones can significantly alter microbial communities in sediments, disrupting key nutrient cycling processes including carbon fixation and nitrogen cycling. The study showed that chemical additives leaching from tire particles, rather than the particles themselves, were responsible for over 90% of the changes in microbial community structure. These findings highlight how tire-derived microplastics can harm coastal ecosystems through the chemicals they release.
Massive microplastics are deposited in the coastal zone. Tire particles (TPs) are an important microplastic source, but little is known about how TPs affect the microbial community composition and function in coastal sediments and the role leachable additives play in TP toxicity. Here, a microcosm experiment was performed using coastal sediments amended with different doses of TPs and with their leachable additives to investigate their effects on the sediment microbial community composition and function. Environmentally relevant concentrations of TPs can change the microbial community structure, decrease community diversity, and inhibit nutrient cycling processes, including carbon fixation and degradation, nitrification, denitrification, and sulfur cycling in sediments. Notably, the raw TP and leachate treatments showed consistent effects. A variety of additives were found in the pore water of sediment, and they could explain over 90% of the variations of the community structure. Further modeling revealed that leachable additives not only directly influenced community function but also indirectly affected community diversity and function by shifting the community structure. In addition, rare taxa could be crucial mediators of ecological functions of sediment microbial community. Combined, this study provides novel insights into the role of TPs' leachable additives in affecting sediment microbial community and function.
More Papers Like This
Tire particles and its leachates: Impact on antibiotic resistance genes in coastal sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how tire particles and the chemicals they release affect antibiotic resistance genes in coastal sediment microorganisms. They found that both the physical particles and their chemical leachates increased the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes and altered microbial community structure. The findings suggest that tire wear pollution in coastal areas may contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in marine environments.
Toxicity of tire wear particles and the leachates to microorganisms in marine sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the toxicity of tire wear particles and their chemical leachates on bacteria in marine sediments. The study found that aged tire wear particles were more toxic than pristine ones, and that leachates were even more harmful than the particles themselves, with zinc identified as the primary toxicity-causing substance.
Effects of tire wear particles on freshwater bacterial-fungal community dynamics and subsequent elemental cycles using microcosms.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted freshwater microcosm experiments to assess how tire wear particles (TWPs) affect bacterial-fungal community dynamics and biogeochemical cycles in rural versus urban lake sediments and overlying water. They found TWPs altered microbial composition more strongly in water than sediment and increased bacteria-fungi network complexity, with cascading effects on nitrogen and carbon cycling.
A comparative analysis of the chemical composition and biofilm formation on tire wear particles from six different tire types
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers analyzed the chemical composition and biofilm communities forming on tire-wear particles compared to other microplastic types, finding that tire wear particles support distinct microbial assemblages. The unique surface chemistry of tire wear particles may promote the attachment of pathogens and toxin-producing microorganisms.
Microbial community shifts induced by plastic and zinc as substitutes of tire abrasion
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the effects of plastic particles and zinc separately on a freshwater microeukaryotic community using high-throughput 18S rRNA sequencing, using these as surrogates for tire wear particle components. Both plastic and zinc individually altered community composition at environmentally realistic concentrations, with plastic causing more pronounced shifts in community structure.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.