Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and microbial communities in sediments

Researchers found that PVC, PLA, and polypropylene microplastics altered nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments by shifting microbial community composition, with effects varying by polymer type and biodegradability.

2022 Environmental Pollution 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics alter the microbiota-mediated phosphorus profiles at sediment-water interface: Distinct microbial effects between sediment and plastisphere

This study found that microplastics in lake sediments change how bacteria process phosphorus, a key nutrient in freshwater ecosystems. Both petroleum-based and biodegradable microplastics altered bacterial communities and phosphorus cycling, but in different ways depending on whether bacteria were in the sediment or on the plastic surfaces. These changes could contribute to water quality problems like algal blooms that affect both ecosystems and the drinking water supply.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Aging behaviors intensify the impacts of microplastics on nitrate bioreduction-driven nitrogen cycling in freshwater sediments

This study found that microplastics that have aged in the environment have stronger effects on nitrogen cycling in lake sediments than fresh microplastics, significantly altering how bacteria process nitrogen. These disruptions to natural nutrient cycles in freshwater systems could affect water quality and the broader food web that ultimately connects to human food sources.

2025 Water Research 18 citations
Article Tier 2

New insights into changes in phosphorus profile at sediment-water interface by microplastics: Role of benthic bioturbation

The study examined how different types of microplastics affect phosphorus cycling at the sediment-water interface through their impacts on burrowing chironomid larvae. Researchers found that both bio-based and fossil fuel-based microplastics altered the larvae's biochemical responses and disrupted phosphorus profiles, suggesting microplastics can indirectly affect nutrient dynamics in freshwater ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics Affect Sediment Phosphorus Transformation: Based on the Interplay of Bioturbation and Microbial Regulation

This study investigated how microplastics (polypropylene, polystyrene, and polylactic acid) affect phosphorus cycling in river sediments, finding that MP contamination altered the distribution of phosphorus fractions and that bioturbation by benthic animals changed how MPs interacted with nutrient transformation processes.

2025 Ecosystem Health and Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments of a freshwater lake

Researchers examined how microplastics alter the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments, finding that plastic exposure shifted community composition and reduced overall diversity compared to plastic-free controls. Functional analysis showed impaired denitrification and organic matter decomposition in microplastic-contaminated sediments, indicating ecosystem-level consequences for nutrient cycling.

2024 Chemosphere 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic Contamination on Phosphorus Availability, Alkaline Phosphatase Activity, and Polymer Degradation in Soil

Researchers studied how different types of microplastics at various concentrations affect phosphorus availability and enzyme activity in soil. They found that microplastics altered phosphorus cycling both by directly supplying phosphorus in some cases and by changing microbial enzyme function. The study suggests that microplastic contamination could disrupt soil nutrient dynamics important for maintaining agricultural productivity.

2025 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

An emerging sink for phosphorus in lake ecosystems: Microplastic-enabled iron and phosphorus costabilization in the overlying water

This study showed that microplastics floating in lake water can act as surfaces that convert dissolved iron into a form that binds phosphorus, effectively pulling phosphorus out of the water column—but the same microplastics could later release that phosphorus back if conditions change. The mechanism varied by polymer type: some plastics formed chemical bonds with phosphorus while others caused physical crystal growth. Because phosphorus drives algal blooms and eutrophication, this previously unrecognized role of microplastics as phosphorus carriers adds a new dimension to how plastic pollution affects lake water quality.

2026 Water Research
Article Tier 2

Effects of plastisphere on phosphorus availability in freshwater system: Critical roles of polymer type and colonizing habitat

This study examined how biofilm-covered microplastics of different polymer types affect phosphorus availability in freshwater, finding that polymer type and colonization habitat determined whether plastisphere biofilms acted as phosphorus sources or sinks, with implications for nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics on nutrients and metal concentrations in river sediments

Researchers investigated how microplastics influence nutrient and metal concentrations in river sediments, finding that microplastics alter the distribution of pollutants through their capacity to adsorb contaminants and support biofilm formation on their hydrophobic surfaces.

2020 Environmental Pollution 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of different microplastics on the mobilization of soil inorganic phosphorus by exomycorrhizal fungi

Researchers examined how different microplastic types affect soil inorganic phosphorus mobilization, finding that polymer type and particle size influence phosphorus release from soil minerals, with implications for nutrient cycling in plastic-contaminated soils.

2024 Global NEST Journal
Article Tier 2

Research on the Effect of Microplastics on Phosphorus in Soil and Water Environment

This review synthesizes research on how microplastics interact with phosphorus in soil and water environments, finding that adsorption capacity varies with particle size and polymer type, that aging increases adsorption, and that microplastic-phosphorus complexes alter phosphorus migration and bioavailability in ecosystems.

2025 Scientific and Social Research
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution drives soil bacterial community shifts and alters phosphorus cycling across land use gradients

Researchers conducted a landscape-scale field study across urban, mining, agricultural, and rural land-use types to measure accumulated microplastic levels and their effects on soil bacterial communities and phosphorus cycling. Microplastic contamination shifted bacterial community composition and impaired phosphorus mineralization, with effects scaling with land-use intensity and microplastic abundance.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Hotspots lurking underwater: Insights into the contamination characteristics, environmental fates and impacts on biogeochemical cycling of microplastics in freshwater sediments

This review examines how microplastics accumulate in freshwater lake and river sediments, which act as major collection points for these particles. Researchers found that microplastic distribution in sediments varies significantly depending on local conditions, and that the particles can alter nutrient cycling and affect sediment-dwelling organisms. The study highlights freshwater sediments as critical but understudied hotspots for microplastic contamination.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics interfere with the nutrient cycle in water-plant-sediment systems

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect nutrient cycling in freshwater systems containing submerged plants and sediment. They found that the microplastics significantly reduced nitrogen and carbon content in plant leaves and disrupted the microbial communities in sediment responsible for nutrient processing. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution can interfere with fundamental biogeochemical cycles that maintain the health of aquatic ecosystems.

2022 Water Research 122 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the impact of microplastics with distinct polymer types and concentrations on tidal sediment microbiome and nitrogen cycling

Researchers tested how five different types of microplastics at varying concentrations affect microbial communities and nitrogen cycling in tidal sediments over 30 days. They found that microplastics generally reduced microbial diversity and enhanced nitrogen fixation, with biodegradable PLA plastic showing concentration-dependent effects. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in coastal sediments can disrupt important nutrient cycling processes driven by microorganisms.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastic on Freshwater Sediment Biogeochemistry and Microbial Communities Is Polymer Specific

Researchers used a microcosm approach to test how three common plastic types found in Great Lakes sediments affect freshwater benthic biogeochemistry and microbial communities. They found that each polymer had distinct effects: PET fibers decreased ecosystem metabolism, PVC particles increased nutrient uptake, and tire-derived rubber most substantially altered microbial community function. The study highlights that the environmental impact of microplastics in freshwater sediments depends heavily on the specific polymer type involved.

2024 Water 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Remediation of biochar-supported effective microorganisms and microplastics on multiple forms of nitrogenous and phosphorous in eutrophic lake

A water-sediment mesocosm study of a eutrophic lake found that aging microplastics lowered nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the water column by stimulating microbial biofilm activity, but also increased ecological risks in sediments by mobilizing iron and sulfide. The results show that microplastics interact in complex ways with nutrient cycling and heavy metal behavior in lake systems, complicating remediation strategies for polluted water bodies.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastic particles on carbon source metabolism and bacterial community in freshwater lake sediments

A microcosm experiment tested how four common plastic types affect carbon metabolism and bacterial communities in freshwater lake sediments, finding that microplastics disrupted microbial carbon cycling and altered community composition.

2025 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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

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.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 15 citations