Author response for "Multi-omics reveals microplastics disrupt nitrogen assimilation in hydrophytes"

Multi-omics reveals microplastics disrupt nitrogen assimilation in hydrophytes

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Researchers used multi-omics approaches to investigate how microplastics and nanoplastics disrupt nitrogen assimilation pathways in hydrophytes, finding that plastic particle exposure impairs the nutrient removal function these aquatic plants provide in eutrophic water bodies.

Microplastics disrupt the nitrogen-fixing bacterial community with consequences for plant growth

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Tiny plastic fibers in soil can mess with the helpful bacteria that plants rely on to pull nitrogen from the air, a process crucial for healthy growth, but the effects depend on the type of plastic, with some helping and others hurting root growth or the bacterial partnerships plants need. This matters because as plastic pollution builds up in farmland, it could quietly disrupt the natural systems that keep our food crops fed and healthy, even before we fully understand the ripple effects on the food we eat.

Microplastics modify the microbial-mediated carbon metabolism in mangroves

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Researchers exposed mangrove rhizosphere microbial communities to four types of microplastics in microcosm experiments and found that polyamide and PVC microplastics reduced microbial utilization of preferred carbon sources by up to 67%, while polyethylene exposure altered nitrogen-containing carbon metabolism. These disruptions to carbon and nitrogen cycling raise concerns about microplastics impairing the critical carbon sequestration function of mangrove ecosystems.

New evidence reveals microplastics interfere with energy metabolism of microalgae

Author response for "Microplastics: Sources, Environmental Fate, Degradation Pathways, and Analytical Identification Methods – A Review"