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MICROPLASTICS INCREASE SOIL PH AND DECREASE MICROBIAL ACTIVITIES AS A FUNCTION OF MICROPLASTIC SHAPE, POLYMER TYPE, AND EXPOSURE TIME- original data.xlsx

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This dataset supports a laboratory experiment testing how different microplastic shapes, polymer types, and exposure durations affect soil pH and the activity of key soil enzymes. The study found that microplastics can raise soil pH and reduce microbial enzyme activities, with effects varying depending on the type and shape of plastic.

The data is for a laboratory study in that different secondary microplastics were evaluated to test their effects on soil pH, soil respiration, and enzymatic activities (acid phosphatase, β-D-glucosidase, cellobiosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase). The plastics represented four microplastic shapes: fibers, films, foams, and fragments; and eight polymer types: polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), polyester (PES), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyurethane (PU). The microplastics were mixed with soil (0.4 % w/w) and incubated at 25 ℃ for 31 days. Then, we collected soil samples on the 3rd, 11th, and 31st day.

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