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Impacts of non-spherical polyethylene nanoplastics on microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes in the rhizosphere of pea (Pisum sativum L.): An integrated metagenomic and metabolomic analysis
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Researchers exposed pea plants to non-spherical polyethylene nanoplastics at 0, 20, and 200 mg/kg, finding that high doses significantly inhibited plant growth, restructured rhizosphere microbial communities, and elevated antibiotic resistance gene abundance via integrated metagenomics and metabolomics.
The ecological effects of nanoplastics (NPs) has become a growing concern; however, the influence of non-spherical NPs-which better represent real-world morphologies-remains poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of non-spherical polyethylene (PE) NPs on the growth of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and its rhizosphere microenvironment across different concentration levels (0, 20, and 200 mg/kg) using integrated metagenomics and metabolomics. Results showed that high-dose (200 mg/kg) exposure significantly inhibited plant growth. Although soil physicochemical properties remained unchanged, the rhizosphere microbial communities experienced significant restructuring, characterized by a marked enrichment of Pseudomonas and a reduction in beneficial Rhizobium populations. Metagenomic analysis revealed a concurrent increase in the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) under non-spherical PE-NP stress. This was accompanied by a shift in bacterial host composition, with a trend toward a higher prevalence of potentially pathogenic taxa such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Metabolomics analysis further revealed that non-spherical PE-NPs altered the rhizosphere metabolite profile, thereby significantly driving the succession of ARG hosts. Our integrated analysis enhances the understanding of how non-spherical PE-NPs disrupt microbial communities and elevate the risks of ARGs in rhizosphere soil, highlighting the significance of incorporating environmentally relevant NPs into environmental risk assessments.
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