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Influence of polyethylene microplastics on carbendazim degradation by Rhodococcus sp. XY-1: Molecular mechanisms and soil bioremediation effects
Summary
Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics influence the degradation of the fungicide carbendazim by soil bacteria Rhodococcus, altering bacterial membrane permeability and enzyme activity in ways that slow the microbial breakdown of this persistent agricultural pesticide.
Carbendazim persists in soil, causing harm to the environment. Microbial degradation is a main way to remove carbendazim from soil, and polyethylene (PE), as a kind of microplastics, widely exists in soil. However, the mechanism by which PE influences carbendazim biodegradation is still unclear. This study isolated Rhodococcus sp. XY-1, a highly efficient carbendazim-degrading bacterium capable of completely degrading 50 mg·L carbendazim, as its sole carbon and nitrogen source within 4 d. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that PE (700 µm, 5 %) depressed XY-1 cell surfaces but induced protective intercellular substance adhesion. According to cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, PE exposure increased intracellular ROS levels in XY-1 and enhanced the absorption intensity of characteristic protein and nucleic acid peaks, indicating metabolic stimulation. Consequently, PE accelerated carbendazim degradation by strain XY-1, achieving a 79.0 % removal of 50 mg·L carbendazim within 60 h. Furthermore, PE itself underwent oxidation and hydrolysis, as evidenced by the simulated soil experiments at an increased carbon-to-oxygen ratio (from 0.016 to 0.072) and the emergence of -OH functional groups. PE also enhanced soil microbial activity, regulated organic carbon content, and influenced carbendazim adsorption, collectively promoting its degradation. Under PE (700 µm, 5 %) amendment, strain XY-1 achieved a degradation rate of 58.0 % for 5.0 mg·kg carbendazim within 7 d in soil. This study elucidates the mechanism by which microplastics influence the microbial degradation of soil organic pollutants.
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