Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Non-synergistic effects of microplastics and submerged macrophytes on sediment microorganisms involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling

This study used genomic analysis to look at how polystyrene microplastics and aquatic plants (submerged macrophytes) together influence the microbial communities in lake sediments that control nutrient cycling. Rather than amplifying each other's effects, the two factors acted independently — microplastics increased microbial diversity while the plants shaped which metabolic functions dominated. The finding suggests that the ecological impact of microplastics in lakes cannot be predicted by looking at microplastics alone, without accounting for the vegetation already present.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics enhance the invasion of exotic submerged macrophytes by mediating plant functional traits, sediment properties, and microbial communities

This study found that polystyrene microplastics in water helped invasive aquatic plants grow stronger and spread more effectively, while native plants were not similarly boosted. The microplastics changed soil chemistry and disrupted bacterial communities in ways that specifically favored the invasive species. This research shows that microplastic pollution could accelerate the spread of invasive plants in lakes and rivers, further threatening aquatic ecosystem health.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution amplifies nitrogen enrichment risk in lakes across submerged macrophytes' survival status

A mesocosm experiment found that microplastic pollution worsens nitrogen build-up in lake sediments, particularly when aquatic plants have died and decomposed — their decaying matter both releases nitrogen and paradoxically boosts the microbial processes that remove it. Microplastics at higher concentrations further elevated dissolved nitrogen, compounding eutrophication risk. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in lakes with dying vegetation could significantly worsen water quality problems driven by excess nutrients.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Nitrogen deposition modulates invasibility and stability of plant communities in microplastic-contaminated wetlands

A greenhouse experiment found that polyethylene microplastics combined with nitrogen deposition reduced morphological traits of invaded wetland plant communities, altering competitive dynamics between invasive and native plants.

2024 Global Ecology and Conservation 1 citations
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

Combined Exposure of Microplastics and Climate Warming Affects the Bacteria-Driven Macrophyte Litter Decomposition in an Urban Lake

Researchers conducted a 30-day microcosm experiment to study how climate warming and polystyrene microplastics interact to affect plant litter decomposition in lake ecosystems. The study found that combined warming and high microplastic concentrations promoted litter decomposition by increasing bacterial biomass and diversity, but also raised concerns by boosting potentially harmful bacteria on microplastic surfaces.

2026 Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

The effects of polypropylene microplastics on the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from water by Acorus calamus, Iris tectorum and functional microorganisms

Researchers investigated how polypropylene microplastics affect the ability of aquatic plants and their associated microorganisms to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from water. They found that microplastic stress reduced the nutrient absorption capacity of the plants and altered the microbial communities responsible for nitrogen and phosphorus cycling. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may undermine the effectiveness of wetland-based water purification systems.

2024 Chemosphere 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insights into microplastic-mediated shifts in nitrogen metabolism and sensory quality across emergent and submerged-plant wetlands: Evidence from metagenomics and physiological indicators

Researchers exposed surface-flow constructed wetlands planted with emergent and submerged macrophytes to polystyrene microplastics and found a 12.64% reduction in total nitrogen removal in the emergent plant system, driven by shifts in nitrogen-cycling microbial communities. PS-MPs also altered sensory water quality indicators, with effects varying by plant type.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on ecosystem functioning: Microbial nitrogen removal mediated by benthic invertebrates

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal in freshwater sediments where chironomid larvae and microorganisms coexist. They found that while microplastics and larvae each individually promoted nitrogen removal by boosting denitrifying bacteria, combining them together produced less benefit than expected. The study suggests that rising microplastic concentrations may disrupt the natural nitrogen cycling that benthic invertebrates help maintain in freshwater ecosystems.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic residues in wetland ecosystems: Do they truly threaten the plant-microbe-soil system?

Researchers used a controlled pot experiment to assess microplastic effects on wetland plant growth, soil microbial communities, and nutrient cycling, finding that MPs altered soil enzyme activity and shifted bacterial community composition but had variable effects on plant growth depending on plastic type.

2021 Environment International 238 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-omics reveals microplastics disrupt nitrogen assimilation in hydrophytes

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.

2025 Environmental Science Nano
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

High invader density alone drives invasive plant dominance, but its impacts on native community biomass and diversity depend on nutrients and microplastics

A mesocosm experiment using invasive aquatic plants found that high invader density is the main driver of invasive species dominance in freshwater systems, but the impact on native plant diversity and productivity depends on whether the water is also enriched with nutrients or contaminated with microplastics. This study highlights that microplastic pollution can interact with other stressors like nutrient runoff to shape how biological invasions unfold in freshwater ecosystems, with cascading consequences for native plant communities.

2026 ScienceDB
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Diversity as a Potential Driver of Soil Denitrification Shifts

Researchers conducted a soil microcosm experiment to study how the diversity of microplastic types (rather than just individual types) affects soil ecosystem functions. They found that increasing microplastic diversity raised soil pH and organic carbon while reducing available nitrogen, and significantly boosted bacterial diversity and denitrifying gene abundance. The findings suggest that realistic mixtures of multiple microplastic types in soil may have stronger impacts on nitrogen cycling than single-type contamination.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 6 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

[Response of Relationship Between Microplastic Abundance and Nitrogen Metabolism Function Microorganisms and Genes in Water].

Researchers investigated the relationship between microplastic abundance and nitrogen-metabolizing microorganisms and genes in Lake Ulansuhai using microscopy and metagenomic sequencing, finding that microplastics in freshwater environments significantly influenced the composition and activity of nitrogen metabolism functional bacteria and associated genes.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics Disturb Nitrogen Removal in Constructed Wetlands: Responses of Microbes and Macrophytes

The impact of nanosized plastics on nitrogen removal in constructed wetlands was investigated by examining microbial community responses and denitrification processes. Nanoplastics disturbed biological nitrogen removal in the wetland system, with microorganisms showing altered community structure and reduced denitrification efficiency.

2020 Environmental Science & Technology 270 citations
Article Tier 2

In situ effects of microplastics on the decomposition of aquatic macrophyte litter in eutrophic shallow lake sediments, China

Researchers conducted an in situ experiment to examine how polypropylene microplastics in lake sediments affect the decomposition of aquatic plant litter. The study found that high concentrations and larger sizes of microplastics can accelerate leaf litter breakdown and nutrient release, with effects mediated through changes in microbial respiration and macroinvertebrate communities.

2023 Environmental Pollution 11 citations
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

The more microplastic types pollute the soil, the stronger the growth suppression of invasive alien and native plants

Researchers grew 16 plant species in soil contaminated with varying numbers of microplastic types and found that plant growth declined more as the diversity of microplastics increased. Invasive species were particularly affected, losing their typical growth advantage over native plants when exposed to multiple microplastic types. The study suggests that real-world soil contamination, which typically involves a mix of different plastics, may suppress plant growth more than single-plastic experiments have shown.

2024 Journal of Ecology 22 citations
Article Tier 2

[Response of Water-Vallisneria natans-Sediment System to Polyethylene Microplastics].

This study examined how polyethylene microplastics affect the water-Vallisneria natans-sediment system, finding that microplastic exposure alters aquatic plant physiology, sediment microbial activity, and nutrient cycling dynamics.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect evaluation of microplastics on activated sludge nitrification and denitrification

Researchers found that microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants interfere with the nitrification and denitrification processes carried out by activated sludge microbes, potentially reducing the effectiveness of nutrient removal in sewage treatment. This effect could undermine water quality if microplastic loads in wastewater continue to increase.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 172 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on inorganic nitrogen dynamics in surface water sediments under different disturbance intensities

Laboratory experiments showed that microplastics in sediments alter nitrogen cycling in freshwater systems in ways that depend strongly on concentration: low levels boosted ammonium release, while high levels suppressed it and amplified nitrate consumption. These disruptions to the nitrogen cycle could affect water quality and aquatic productivity, especially in systems that are frequently disturbed by dredging or flooding.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Discrepancy strategies of sediment abundant and rare microbial communities in response to floating microplastic disturbances: Study using a microcosmic experiment

Using microcosm experiments with fluvial sediment exposed to four plastic types, researchers found that floating microplastics altered sediment microbial diversity and reduced bacteria involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Abundant microbial taxa were more sensitive to microplastic disturbance than rare taxa, and microplastics decreased network complexity and increased negative species interactions in microbial communities.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 46 citations