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Typical microplastics in field and facility agriculture dynamically affect available cadmium in different soil types through physicochemical dynamics of carbon, iron and microbes
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Researchers found that polyurethane and polypropylene microplastics dynamically affect cadmium availability in different soil types through changes in soil carbon chemistry, iron mineral forms, and microbial community composition, with effects varying between field and greenhouse agricultural conditions.
Combined pollution from microplastics (MPs) and other environmental pollutants has attracted considerable attention. Few studies have investigated the effects of polyurethane (PU) and polypropylene (PP) MPs on available Cadmium(Cd) in different soil types. Here, PU and PP additions affected available Cd and reduced its concentration in soil (P > 0.05). PU and PP reduced available Cd more strongly in clay soil than that in sandy soil. PU and PP improved the soil porous structure and voids and significantly increased the Zeta potential in clay soil (P < 0.05). Dissolved organic carbon and pH in clay soil were significantly negatively correlated with available Cd after PU and PP addition, and Fe(Ⅱ) was significantly negatively correlated with available Cd in sandy soil. PU and PP addition promoted the C-C, CO, and C-H functional groups and FeO, FeOOH, and FeO formation and influenced the effective Cd through adsorption and precipitation. CdCO formation and clay mineral adsorption, and iron oxide formation, influenced the effective Cd in clay and sandy soils, respectively. PU and PP influenced the effective state of Cd by affecting bacterial communities related to carbon and iron cycles. This study is significant for assessing the environmental risks of MPs combined with heavy metals in different soils and their mechanisms.
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