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Microplastic-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter Regulates Soil Carbon Respiration via Microbial Ecophysiological Controls

Environmental Science & Technology 2025 15 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 58 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jia Shi, Jia Shi, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jia Shi, Jie Wang Li Xu, Jie Wang Jia Shi, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Jia Shi, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jia Shi, Jia Shi, Jia Shi, Jia Shi, Jie Wang Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Jie Wang Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jing Gao, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Jia Shi, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Jianguo Tao, Jie Wang Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Li Xu, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Li Xu, Jianguo Tao, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jianguo Tao, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Dayi Zhang, Jia Shi, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Yuanze Sun, Jie Wang Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Jie Wang Jianguo Tao, Li Xu, Li Xu, Jing Gao, Li Xu, Yuanze Sun, Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Xiang Wang, Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang Jianguo Tao, Jianguo Tao, Jianguo Tao, Jianguo Tao, Yuanze Sun, Jing Gao, Xiaofeng Cao, Xiang Wang, Xiang Wang, Xiang Wang, Jie Wang Jie Wang Li Xu, Jie Wang Jie Wang Li Xu, Dayi Zhang, Li Xu, Li Xu, Jianguo Tao, Dayi Zhang, Li Xu, Li Xu, Jie Wang Xiang Wang, Li Xu, Dayi Zhang, Jie Wang Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Andrew J. Tanentzap, Jie Wang Jie Wang Dayi Zhang, Jie Wang Li Xu, Jie Wang Jie Wang Dayi Zhang, Jia Ding, Jia Ding, Xiang Wang, Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Jie Wang Li Xu, Jie Wang Jie Wang Li Xu, Bing Feng, Dayi Zhang, Jie Wang Jie Wang Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Li Xu, Jie Wang Jie Wang Jing Gao, Jing Gao, Dayi Zhang, Xiang Wang, Xiaofeng Cao, Jie Wang Jie Wang Jie Wang

Summary

Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter released by microplastics affects the way soil microbes process carbon. They found that compounds leaching from both new and aged microplastics stimulated soil carbon release, with aged microplastics having a larger effect by altering microbial community structure. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution may influence soil carbon cycling and potentially affect how effectively soils store carbon.

Microbial regulation of soil carbon sequestration is vulnerable to anthropogenic stressors, notably microplastic pollution. Microplastics can release carbon-based compounds that serve as potential substrates for soil heterotrophic microbes. The impact of this novel microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter (MP-DOM) on soil carbon cycling and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, short-term soil microcosm experiments were conducted with MP-DOM sourced from pristine and aged microplastics to compare their effects on soil carbon respiration against natural dissolved organic matter (NOM). The underlying mechanisms are investigated by estimating the spectroscopic and molecular signatures of MP-DOM and NOM, and comparing their effects on soil microbial physiological properties. Our findings reveal that MP-DOM leads to 36.9-42.3% higher CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from soils than NOM, attributed to its greater bioavailability. MP-DOM simultaneously stimulates greater microbial quantity, phenotypic activities, and carbon utilization efficiency because this carbon is more biochemically accessible than NOM. Network analysis indicates stronger interconnections among labile molecules and bacterial taxa in MP-DOM treatments compared to NOM-treated soils, suggesting enhanced microbial capacity to utilize the more readily available MP-DOM. This study demonstrates that MP-DOM accelerates soil microbial respiration by mediating their physiological traits, with potential implications for climate change.

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