Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Structural and Functional Characteristics of Soil Microbial Communities in Forest–Wetland Ecotones: A Case Study of the Lesser Khingan Mountains

Researchers examined soil microbial communities across a forest-to-wetland gradient in China's Lesser Khingan Mountains, comparing mixed forest, conifer forest, wetland edge, and natural wetland. Natural wetland soils harbored the most distinct bacterial communities, driven primarily by high organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus content.

2025 Life 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Response characteristics of indigenous microbial community in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminated aquifers under polyethylene microplastics stress: A microcosmic experimental study

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect indigenous microbial communities in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater aquifers, finding that microplastics alter microbial community structure and function in ways that affect PAH degradation potential.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterizing Microplastic Pollution and Microbial Community Status in Rice Paddy Soils Across Varied Environmental Settings in Songjiang, Shanghai: An Analysis of Morpho-Chemical Characteristics

Researchers characterized microplastic pollution and associated microbial communities in rice paddy soils, finding widespread microplastic contamination that correlated with shifts in soil bacterial diversity. Plastic-associated microbial communities differed from bulk soil communities, suggesting microplastics create distinct microbial niches in agricultural environments.

2024 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Health Risks from Agricultural Soils Contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Across Different Land-Use Categories of Bangladesh

Researchers assessed levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of harmful chemical pollutants, in agricultural soils across Bangladesh. Industrial areas had the highest contamination levels, followed by coastal and market areas, with concentrations declining at greater soil depths. The study found that while current exposure levels pose low cancer risk, continued monitoring is needed since these persistent chemicals accumulate in soil and can enter the food chain.

2024 Applied Sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics pollution alters bacterial community in hyporheic sediments: A case study from the Beiluo River Basin

Researchers surveyed microplastics in hyporheic zone sediments (the biologically active layer beneath riverbeds) of China's Beiluo River and found that PET fragments smaller than 30 µm dominated, with polymer type and particle size driving distinct shifts in bacterial community composition and suppressing overall microbial diversity.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil and Vegetation of Niger Delta, Nigeria: Ecological Risk Assessment

Researchers assessed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination in soils and vegetation across Nigeria's Niger Delta, finding elevated PAH levels in both matrices near oil exploration sites with ecological risk indices indicating significant environmental concern.

2023 Journal of Toxicology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics on bacterial community and PAHs natural attenuation in agricultural soils

Researchers found that biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics differently affect soil bacterial communities and the natural attenuation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in agricultural soils, with biodegradable plastics sometimes enhancing microbial activity while conventional plastics inhibited PAH degradation.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 55 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Soil-Dwelling Bacterial Community Changes Induced by Microplastic Ex posure Using Amplicon Sequencing

Researchers analyzed soil bacterial community composition after microplastic contamination, finding that different polymer types caused distinct shifts in microbial diversity and functional groups, with implications for soil nutrient cycling and agricultural productivity.

2025 Korean Science Education Society for the Gifted
Article Tier 2

Different Distribution of Core Microbiota in Upper Soil Layer in Two Places of North China Plain

Researchers compared the composition and distribution of core soil microbiota in upper soil layers at two locations on the North China Plain, examining how habitat and dominant plant species shape bacterial community structure relevant to nutrient cycling and carbon storage. The study found meaningful differences in microbial community composition between the two sites, reflecting local environmental influences.

2022 The Open Microbiology Journal 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribution, Sources, and Risk of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Largest Irrigation Area in the Yellow River Basin

Researchers found polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in agricultural soils of China's Yellow River irrigation area, with concentrations accumulating in shallow soil layers and posing measurable non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to local residents.

2022 Water 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on Microbial Community in Zhanjiang Mangrove Sediments

Researchers found that microplastics in mangrove sediments from Zhanjiang, China, altered the diversity and composition of microbial communities and may affect nitrogen cycling processes such as nitrification.

2022 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Microplastics and Biochar on the Removal of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Phthalate Esters and Its Potential Microbial Ecological Mechanism

Researchers investigated the combined effects of microplastics and biochar on the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate esters from contaminated soil, finding that the combination altered microbial community structure and contaminant fate differently than either amendment alone.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Contamination Levels and Accumulation Profiles of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Surface Sediments from South Central Coast of Vietnam

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were quantified in surface sediments from the South Central Coast of Vietnam, characterizing sources, spatial distribution, and potential ecological risk from these hydrophobic persistent organic pollutants.

2024 VNU Journal of Science Natural Sciences and Technology
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on bacterial communities in lake wetland sediments: a comparison between drought and flooded conditions

Researchers established a sediment microcosm system for Poyang Lake wetland and examined the effects of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics on bacterial community structure, functional genes, and ecological processes over 180 days under both simulated drought and flooded conditions.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on CO2 emission from Yellow River Delta wetland

Researchers found that microplastic contamination in Yellow River Delta wetland soils altered CO2 emissions, with different polymer types and concentrations producing varying effects on soil carbon dynamics — raising concern that plastic pollution could undermine the carbon sequestration function of coastal wetlands.

2022 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics shape microbial communities affecting soil organic matter decomposition in paddy soil

Researchers found that microplastics shape soil microbial communities in paddy soils in ways that affect organic matter decomposition, revealing how bacterial succession and carbon cycling are altered by microplastic presence in agricultural systems.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 181 citations
Article Tier 2

Profile distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coastal soils of the Lower Don and Taganrog Bay, Russia

This study analyzed the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) — persistent toxic pollutants — through soil profiles in the coastal zone of the Lower Don River and Taganrog Bay in Russia. PAHs co-occur with microplastics in polluted coastal environments and pose overlapping risks to soil and aquatic ecosystems.

2023 EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE (EJSS) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of microplastics and their abundance impacts on microbial structure and function in agricultural soils of remote areas in west China

Researchers found that agricultural soils in remote western China using plastic mulch film had about four times more microplastics than fields without it, mostly tiny polyamide fragments under 50 micrometers. The microplastics changed the diversity and function of soil bacteria, including boosting organisms linked to organic matter breakdown. These microbial shifts could affect soil health and potentially increase health risks from crops grown in contaminated soil.

2024 Environmental Pollution 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence, Composition, and Risk Assessment of Microplastics and Adsorbed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Urban Drainage Sediments Along the Yangtze River, China

Urban drainage sediments from three Yangtze River cities contained 130–564 microplastic particles per 100 grams, with the highest concentrations near commercial and campus areas, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were found adsorbed to many particles. Microplastics acting as carriers for toxic PAHs in stormwater systems represent a compounded threat to aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Spatial patterns of microplastic accumulation and microbial degradation function along coastal wetland tidal gradients

This study of a Chinese tidal estuary found that microplastics accumulate most heavily in the high-tide zone, particularly in surface soils, with fragments (72–79%) and small particles under 100 µm dominating. Soil nitrogen chemistry emerged as the strongest factor associated with microplastic distribution, and microbial degradation potential varied across tidal zones. Understanding where microplastics pool in coastal wetlands — and how soil chemistry controls this — helps predict long-term contamination risks for both wetland ecosystems and the marine environments they connect to.

2026 Journal of Environmental Management