Microplastic contamination accelerates soil carbon loss through positive priming

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DOI

  • Jie Zhou
    Nanjing Agricultural University
  • Wenhao Feng
    Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing
  • Robert W Brown
    School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University
  • Haishui Yang
    Nanjing Agricultural University
  • Guodong Shao
    University of Tuebingen
  • Lingling Shi
    University of Tuebingen
  • Heng Gui
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Jianchu Xu
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Feng-Min Li
    Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry
  • Davey L Jones
    School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University
  • Kazem Zamanian
    Leibniz University, Hanover

The priming effect, i.e., the changes in soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition following fresh organic carbon (C) inputs is known to influence C storage in terrestrial ecosystems. Microplastics (particle size <5 mm) are ubiquitous in soils due to the increasing use and often inadequate end-of-life management of plastics. Conventional polyethylene and bio-degradable (PHBV) plastics contain large amounts of C within their molecular structure, which can be assimilated by microorganisms. However, the extent and direction of the potential priming effect induced by microplastics is unclear. As such, we added 14C-labeled glucose to investigate how background polyethylene and PHBV microplastics (1 %, w/w) affect SOM decomposition and its potential microbial mechanisms in a short-term. The cumulative CO2 emission in soil contaminated with PHBV was 42-53 % higher than under Polyethylene contaminated soil after 60-day incubation. Addition of glucose increased SOM decomposition and induced a positive priming effect, as a consequence, caused a negative net soil C balance (-59 to -132 μg C g-1 soil) regardless of microplastic types. K-strategists dominated in the PHBV-contaminated soils and induced 72 % higher positive priming effects as compared to Polyethylene-contaminated soils (160 vs. 92 μg C g-1 soil). This was attributed to the enhanced decomposition of recalcitrant SOM to acquire nitrogen. The stronger priming effect associated in PHBVs can be attributed to cooperative decomposition among fungi and bacteria, which metabolize more recalcitrant C in PHBV. Moreover, comparatively higher calorespirometric ratios, lower substrate use efficiency, and larger enzyme activity but shorter turnover time of enzymes indicated that soil contaminated with PHBV release more energy, and have a more efficient microbial catabolism and are more efficient in SOM decomposition and nutrient resource uptake. Overall, microplastics, (especially bio-degradable microplastics) can alter biogeochemical cycles with significant negative consequences for C sequestration via increasing SOM decomposition in agricultural soils and for regional and global C budgets.

Keywords

  • Soil Pollutants/analysis, Soil/chemistry, Carbon, Microplastics, Soil Microbiology
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)176273
JournalScience of the Total Environment
Volume954
Early online date14 Sept 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2024
Externally publishedYes
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