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Bio-effects of bio-based and fossil-based microplastics: Case study with lettuce-soil system
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Researchers compared the effects of bio-based (PEF) and fossil-based (PET) microplastics on lettuce growth and soil microbial communities over 21 days at multiple concentrations. They found that both types inhibited lettuce growth by reducing chlorophyll content and root development, and both altered soil bacterial community composition. The study suggests that bio-based plastics are not necessarily safer for soil ecosystems than conventional plastics when they fragment into microplastics.
Bio-based plastics have been developed as alternative materials to solve the energy crisis brought by plastic production, but their impacts on soil ecosystems (e.g. plant and microorganisms) remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted study on the impacts of polyethylene 2,5-furan-dicarboxylate (PEF), a new bio-based plastic, on the plant-soil ecosystem, with comparison of fossil-based plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Our investigation showed that, after 21 days exposure to microplastics (MPs) at doses of 0.5%, 1% and 2%, both PEF and PET MPs inhibited the growth of lettuce, where chlorophyll was found to be the most sensitive index. According to the comprehensive stress resistance indicators, PET MPs showed more severe phytotoxicity than PEF MPs. Although both PEF and PET MPs could inhibit soil enzyme activities, PET MPs exhibited significantly reduction on the diversity of rhizosphere soil bacterial community and changed the relative abundance of dominant species. Our study gave insights into the effects of PEF and PET MPs on the plant-soil system, where bio-based PEF MPs showed more friendly interaction with plant and soil than fossil-based PET MPs. Our results provided scientific data for risk assessment and useful information for the prospective application of bio-based plastics.
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Responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) growth and soil properties to conventional non-biodegradable and new biodegradable microplastics
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Scientists compared the effects of biodegradable and conventional polyethylene microplastics on lettuce growth and soil health. Both types of microplastics reduced plant growth, damaged photosynthesis, and altered soil nutrient levels, but biodegradable PBAT microplastics actually caused more disruption to soil microbial communities. The findings challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics are necessarily safer for agricultural ecosystems.
Effects of Biodegradable Microplastics on Soil and Lettuce Health: Rhizosphere Microbiome and Metabolome Responses
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Researchers tested how two common biodegradable microplastics affect lettuce growth and the microbial communities around its roots. At higher concentrations, both types of biodegradable plastics inhibited lettuce growth and significantly disrupted the balance of beneficial soil microbes and plant metabolic processes. The findings suggest that even plastics marketed as biodegradable can negatively impact soil health and crop development when present in sufficient quantities.
Effects of Biodegradable Microplastics on Soil andLettuce Health: Rhizosphere Microbiome and Metabolome Responses
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Two biodegradable microplastics (PBAT and PHB) were applied to soil and lettuce was grown to assess effects on rhizosphere microbiome composition and plant metabolome, finding that both biodegradable MPs altered soil microbial communities and plant metabolic responses differently.
Effects of Soil Microplastics on Plant Growth and Soil Health
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A greenhouse experiment found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics at increasing concentrations reduced lettuce biomass, altered soil microbial activity, and changed soil structure and water retention, with effects more pronounced at higher MP concentrations.
Soil biota modulate the effects of microplastics on biomass and diversity of plant communities
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Researchers used mesocosm experiments with natural soil biota to compare the effects of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on plant community biomass and diversity. Soil biota modulated the impact of microplastics, with biodegradable plastics showing similar effects to conventional plastics on plant community structure, challenging the assumption that biodegradable alternatives are environmentally benign.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.