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Nanoplastic aggravates CH4 and N2O emission in plant-soil system
Summary
Polystyrene nanoplastics added to a simulated wetland increased methane emissions by up to 100% and nitrous oxide emissions by about 100%, by disrupting plant growth and shifting the microbial communities that drive greenhouse gas production. This finding reveals that microplastic pollution may be accelerating climate change by undermining the carbon-sequestering function of wetlands.
As nanoplastics continue to accumulate in natural wetland ecosystems, it remains unclear whether and how the effects of nanoplastics on the emission of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Here we constructed a simulated natural wetland and introduced polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms on CH4 and N2O emissions. The results indicated that PS-NPs can increase CH4 emissions by 20% to 100% and N2O emissions by approximately 100%. Analysis of the microbial community and plant functional characteristics in soils showed that PS-NPs inhibited plant growth and photosynthesis, and weakened plant stress resistance. Changes in plant functional characteristics affect the oxygen production capacity and secretion content of plant roots, which further affect the microbial community structure and metabolic activity of rhizosphere soil, enhancing methanogenesis and denitrification processes during the carbon and nitrogen cycles, resulting in increased CH4 and N2O emissions. Therefore, the continuous accumulation of PS-NPs is an important factor in changing the carbon sink function of wetlands. This study underscores the importance of controlling plastics pollution for the emission of greenhouse gases.