Co-occurrence of microplastics and hydrochar stimulated the methane emission but suppressed nitrous oxide emission from a rice paddy soil

Methane emissions and rice yield in a paddy soil: the effect of biochar and polystyrene microplastics interaction

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Researchers ran greenhouse pot experiments showing that polystyrene microplastics significantly increase methane emissions and reduce rice yield in paddy soil, while sugarcane bagasse biochar partially offsets these effects by altering soil microbial community structure and reducing global warming potential.

Effects of different microplastics on greenhouse gas emissions from paddy soil

Presence of microplastics alone and co-existence with hydrochar unexpectedly mitigate ammonia volatilization from rice paddy soil and affect structure of soil microbiome

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Microplastics added to rice paddy soil unexpectedly reduced ammonia volatilization compared to unamended controls, with combined addition of microplastics and hydrochar further altering ammonia loss patterns, and microplastics changing soil bacterial community structure in ways that may affect nitrogen cycling in irrigated agricultural ecosystems.

Effects of aged microplastics on paddy soil properties and greenhouse gas emissions under laboratory aerobic conditions

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Researchers incubated paddy soil with UV-aged polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics and measured CO2 and N2O emissions over 35 days, finding that aging increased greenhouse gas output beyond that of virgin plastics by elevating dissolved organic carbon and altering its composition—suggesting that weathered microplastics in agricultural soils amplify climate-relevant emissions.

Contrasting effects of microplastics on N2O emission and denitrifiers in two agricultural soils