We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Polyethylene microplastic pollution drives quorum sensing-mediated enrichment of rhizosphere pathogens, resistance genes, and virulence factors genes
ClearDynamic impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on antibiotic resistance and microplastics degradation genes in the rhizosphere of Oryza sativa L.
This study found that PET nanoplastics in rice paddy soil boosted the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil bacteria by up to significant levels. The plastics provided surfaces for bacteria to grow on and produced toxic byproducts that sped up gene sharing between microbes. This means microplastic pollution in agricultural soil could make antibiotic-resistant infections harder to treat in people.
Polyethylene microplastics induce microbial functional reprogramming via rhizosphere network disruption, accelerating soil decline
Researchers used metabolomics and metagenomics to study how polyethylene microplastics affect the rhizosphere ecosystem of the medicinal plant Angelica sinensis. The study found that increasing microplastic concentrations disrupted microbial network stability, shifted metabolic pathways toward stress adaptation, and reduced soil quality, with bacteria serving as primary regulatory hubs in mediating these ecosystem-level changes.
Host species and microplastics differentiate the crop root endophytic antibiotic resistome
Researchers found that crop species and microplastic contamination significantly shape the antibiotic resistance gene profile in plant root endophytes, with microplastics enhancing resistance gene abundance via changes in root-associated microbial communities.
The effects of single and combined pollution of PE microplastics and antibiotics in soil on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings
This study examined the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and antibiotic exposure on soil organisms, finding that mixture exposure altered soil microbial community structure and promoted antibiotic resistance gene abundance more than either stressor alone. Co-exposure to microplastics and antibiotics poses compounded risks for soil microbiomes.
Effect of polyethylene microplastics on antibiotic resistance genes: A comparison based on different soil types and plant types
This study compared how polyethylene microplastics affect antibiotic resistance genes across different soil types and found that contaminated soils and the presence of certain plants influenced which resistance genes proliferated. The results suggest that microplastics in agricultural soil can help spread antibiotic resistance, which is a serious concern for human health because resistant bacteria can enter the food supply through crops.
Microplastics increase soil microbial network complexity and trigger diversity-driven community assembly
Researchers found that microplastics in soil increased bacterial network complexity and shifted microbial community assembly in a diversity-dependent manner, with high-density polyethylene causing more harm to plant growth than polystyrene or polylactic acid particles.
Effects of co-exposure of antibiotic and microplastic on the rhizosphere microenvironment of lettuce seedlings
Researchers examined how the combination of antibiotics and polyethylene microplastics in agricultural soil affects lettuce seedling growth and the microbial community around plant roots. They found that combined exposure altered soil bacterial diversity, changed the chemical profile of root-zone metabolites, and affected nutrient cycling differently than either contaminant alone. The study highlights the compounding environmental risks when antibiotics from animal manure and microplastics from plastic films co-exist in farmland soils.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics on the microbial community structure of maize rhizosphere soil
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics from agricultural films affect the microbial communities in crop root zones (rhizosphere), finding shifts in bacterial diversity and function. Disrupting soil microbiomes through microplastic contamination could have downstream effects on soil fertility and crop health.
Sources, interactions, influencing factors and ecological risks of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes in soil: A review
Microplastics in soil serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes, with the plastisphere — the microbial community colonizing plastic surfaces — facilitating horizontal gene transfer of resistance markers. Key factors driving this interaction include microplastic properties, soil chemistry, and agricultural practices, though research in soil environments is still at an early stage compared to aquatic systems.
Soil plastispheres as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes and potential pathogens
Researchers investigated microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastic surfaces (the plastisphere) in soil environments. They found that plastispheres harbor enriched levels of potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes compared to surrounding soil, and that adding manure or increasing temperature and moisture further amplified these concerning microbial communities.
Multiomics analysis of the effects of manure-borne doxycycline combined with oversized fiber microplastics on pak choi growth and the risk of antibiotic resistance gene transmission
Researchers studied how oversized fiber microplastics combined with the antibiotic doxycycline from manure affect pak choi growth and soil health. They found that the antibiotic had a more pronounced negative impact than the microplastics, but slender-fiber microplastics amplified the harmful effects on plant growth and altered soil metabolites. The study raises concerns about antibiotic resistance gene transmission through the combined presence of microplastics and antibiotics in agricultural soils.
Effects of long-term microplastic pollution on soil heavy metals and metal resistance genes: Distribution patterns and synergistic effects
Using metagenomics on cropland soils with long-term plastic film residues, researchers found that microplastic pollution alters heavy metal distribution and promotes the enrichment of metal resistance genes in soil microbial communities, with implications for food security.
Potential impacts of polyethylene microplastics and heavy metals on Bidens pilosa L. growth: Shifts in root-associated endophyte microbial communities
Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil contaminated with heavy metals significantly stunted plant growth, reducing root length by nearly 49% and increasing harmful reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. The microplastics also shifted the soil's microbial communities toward stress-resistant species, demonstrating how plastic pollution can disrupt the soil ecosystem that supports our food supply.
Deciphering the response of nodule bacteriome homeostasis in the bulk soil-rhizosphere-root-nodule ecosystem to soil microplastic pollution
Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastic contamination in soil affects the bacterial communities associated with legume plant root nodules. They found that microplastic treatments accelerated nodule formation but disrupted the balance of beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nodules. The study suggests that soil microplastic pollution may interfere with the symbiotic relationship between legume crops and their nitrogen-fixing bacterial partners.
The formation of specific bacterial communities contributes to the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes in the soil plastisphere
Researchers used metagenomic approaches to study how microplastic surfaces in soil become enriched with antibiotic resistance genes through the formation of specific bacterial communities. The study tested three types of microplastics at two particle sizes and found that antibiotic resistance gene abundances significantly increased in the plastisphere compared to surrounding soil. Evidence indicates that microplastics in soil may serve as hotspots for the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Root traits and rhizosphere responses as emerging bioindicators of microplastic pollution in agricultural soils: A review
This review examines how microplastic pollution in agricultural soils disrupts root growth, nutrient uptake, and the beneficial interactions between plant roots and soil microbes. Researchers found that microplastics can alter root exudation patterns, change soil structure, and shift microbial communities around roots in ways that may impair crop productivity. The study proposes that root traits and rhizosphere responses could serve as early warning indicators of microplastic contamination in farmland.
Polyvinyl chloride microplastics disseminate antibiotic resistance genes in Chinese soil: A metagenomic analysis
Researchers used metagenomic analysis to investigate how polyvinyl chloride microplastics affect the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in Chinese soils. They found that PVC microplastics significantly influenced soil bacterial community composition and increased the abundance of certain antibiotic resistance genes. The study raises concerns that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils may accelerate the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance.
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.
Microplastics contamination in soil affects growth and root nodulation of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.) and 16 s rRNA sequencing of rhizosphere soil
Researchers found that low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastic contamination in field soil negatively affected fenugreek plant growth, root nodulation, and rhizosphere microbial community structure, raising concerns about agricultural soil health.
Reprogramming of microbial community in barley root endosphere and rhizosphere soil by polystyrene plastics with different particle sizes
Barley plants grown in polystyrene microplastic- and nanoplastic-contaminated soil showed altered microbial communities in both the root endosphere and rhizosphere, suggesting plastic pollution can reshape plant-associated microbiomes. These shifts could have downstream consequences for plant health and soil nutrient cycling.
Varying characteristics and driving mechanisms of antibiotic resistance genes in farmland soil amended with high-density polyethylene microplastics
A 60-day soil experiment found that high-density polyethylene microplastics containing phthalate additives significantly enhanced antibiotic resistance gene abundance in farmland soil compared to plastics without phthalates, identifying phthalate release as a key driver of microplastic-associated ARG enrichment.
Size-specific effects of polyethylene microplastics (100–10,000 nm) on the soil resistome and pathogens revealed via metagenomics and machine learning
Researchers incubated polyethylene microplastics of three different sizes in antibiotic-resistant soils and found that smaller particles had the strongest effect on spreading antibiotic resistance genes and increasing pathogen abundance. The microplastics altered soil chemistry, reduced beneficial enzyme activity, and promoted the growth of potentially harmful bacteria while decreasing beneficial species. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in soils may worsen the spread of antibiotic resistance, with particle size playing a key role.
Soil plastisphere interferes with soil bacterial community and their functions in the rhizosphere of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
Scientists found that microplastics in soil create their own unique microbial communities, called the plastisphere, which can include potential human pathogens and plastic-degrading bacteria. These plastisphere communities interacted with the bacteria around pepper plant roots, potentially affecting plant health and soil function. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in farm soil could change the microbial environment around food crops and possibly introduce harmful bacteria into the food production system.
Agri-plastics in soils drive changes in the rhizosphere bacterial community and plant transcriptome in Arabidopsis
Researchers grew Arabidopsis thaliana in soils mixed with plastic film residues (≥5 mm at 5% w/w) and examined rhizosphere bacterial communities and plant gene expression. Plastic residues significantly altered rhizobacterial composition without affecting plant growth or flowering, suggesting soil microbiome disruption may precede visible plant effects.