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Spatiotemporal heterogeneous effects of microplastics input on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) under field conditions
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Researchers conducted a long-term field experiment and found that microplastic inputs have spatiotemporally heterogeneous effects on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM), with implications for soil carbon dynamics under increasing terrestrial plastic contamination.
Microplastics (MPs) as emerging persistent pollutants are ubiquitous in terrestrial environments. The effects of MPs input on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) yet remain largely unclear, which limits our ability to predict how soil carbon dynamics will respond to the intensifying terrestrial plastic contamination, especially under the context of climate change. Here, a long-term field experiment with MPs addition treatment in soils spanning cold temperate zone to the tropics in China was conducted to evaluate the effects of MPs on DOM composition and to explore the spatial and temporal distribution patterns and relevant mechanistic controls of DOM responses after MPs input. We report that the DOM composition in soils with MPs addition was significantly changed relative to the ambient, in which tryptophan-like substances were decreased and humic-like substances were increased. Moreover, we find more apparent transformations of DOM composition in soils for longer treatment time, suggesting a long-lasting effect of MPs on DOM. The overall impact of MPs on DOM is more pronounced in lower latitudes, and nutrient availability and latitude-related climatic variables are associated with the influence degree of MPs input on soil DOM.
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Effects of Microplastics and Organic Fertilizer Regulation on Soil Dissolved Organic Matter Evolution
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This study examined how microplastic addition to soil affects dissolved organic matter (DOM) evolution, focusing on the interactions between microplastics as carbon sources and organic fertilizer. Microplastics altered DOM composition and quantity, with effects on soil carbon cycling that varied by plastic type and organic fertilizer combination, suggesting complex interactions between plastic pollution and soil amendment practices.
From carrier to reactor: How microplastic as a mobile source of DOM reshapes soil carbon cycling and microbial communities
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This review summarizes existing research on how microplastics in soil interact with dissolved organic matter through physical, chemical and microbial processes. It describes microplastics forming surface biofilms and complexes that affect carbon breakdown, contaminant transport, and the loss of natural soil carbon.
Chemodiversity of soil dissolved organic matter affected by contrasting microplastics from different types of polymers
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A 310-day soil incubation experiment found that polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC microplastics reduced aromatic and hydrophobic dissolved organic matter (DOM) components by over 20%, decreased DOM humification levels, and shifted microbial communities in ways that altered nitrogen availability. These changes in soil DOM chemistry and microbial structure have downstream implications for soil fertility, greenhouse gas emissions, and the bioavailability of co-contaminants like heavy metals and antibiotics.
Microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities under contrasting soil environments
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Researchers compared microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities across contrasting soil environments, finding that the type of microplastic polymer and soil conditions together determine whether microbial activity and carbon cycling are stimulated or suppressed.
Microplastic coupled with soil dissolved organic matter mediated changes in the soil chemical and microbial characteristics
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Researchers conducted a two-month incubation experiment to study how polyethylene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations affect soil carbon composition and microbial communities. They found that microplastics altered the dissolved organic matter in soil and shifted how microbial communities utilized carbon sources. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils may have cascading effects on soil health and nutrient cycling.
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