Microplastic dilemma: Assessing the unexpected trade-offs between biodegradable and non-biodegradable forms on plant health, cadmium uptake, and sediment microbial ecology.

J Hazard Mater

College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082, PR China.

Published: September 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • - The study investigates the environmental effects of biodegradable plastics (BPs) vs. conventional plastics (CPs) as microplastics (MPs) on plant health, cadmium absorption, and soil bacteria.
  • - Results indicate that both types of MPs hinder plant growth, but BPs cause greater damage by increasing oxidative stress and changing soil microbial functions more than CPs.
  • - Key findings highlight that BPs enhance cadmium uptake in plants and significantly alter bacterial communities, pointing to greater ecological risks from biodegradable materials compared to conventional options.

Article Abstract

Despite extensive substitution of biodegradable plastics (BPs) for conventional plastics (CPs), research on their environmental ecological consequences as microplastics (MPs) is scarce. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the impacts of six prototypical MPs (categorized into BMPs and CMPs) on plant growth, cadmium (Cd) translocation, and bacterial communities in contaminated sediments. Results showed both BMPs and CMPs hindered plant development; yet interestingly, BMPs provoked more pronounced physiological and biochemical changes alongside increased oxidative stress due to reactive oxygen species accumulation. Notably, most MP types promoted the absorption of Cd by plant roots potentially via a "dilution effect". BMPs also induced larger shifts in soil microbial metabolic functions compared to CMPs. Ramlibacter was identified as a key biomarker distinguishing BMPs from CMPs, with link to multiple N metabolic pathways and N assimilation. This study offers novel insights into intricate biochemical mechanisms and environmental chemistry behaviors underpinning MP-Cd interactions within the plant-microbe-sediment system, emphasizing BMPs' higher potential ecological risks based on their significant effects on plant health and microbial ecology. This work contributes to enhancing the comprehensive understanding of their ecological implications and potential threats to environmental security.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135240DOI Listing

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