Effect of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on Bacterial Community and Nutrient Status in Two Agricultural Soils

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 107; no. 4; pp. 602 - 609
• Main Authors: Yan, Yuanyuan, Chen, Zhanghao, Zhu, Fengxiao, Zhu, Changyin, Wang, Chao, Gu, Cheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Aquatic Pollution; Bacteria; bacterial communities; Chlorides; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecological effects; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Functional groups; Microbiomes; Microplastics; nitrogen; Nutrient status; Nutrients; Phosphorus; phosphorus content; Plastic debris; Plastic pollution; plasticizers; Pollution; Pollution levels; poly(vinyl chloride); Polyvinyl chloride; soil bacteria; Soil environment; Soil microorganisms; Soil pollution; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil types; Soils; Terrestrial ecosystems; toxicology; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Soil; Available phosphorus; Plasticizer; Microplastic; Bacterial community
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-020-02900-2

Knowledge of the influence of microplastics on soil microbiome and nutrients is important for understanding the ecological consequences of microplastic pollution in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we investigated whether polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastic pollution at environmentally relevant concentrations would affect soil bacterial community and available nitrogen/phosphorus content. The results showed that although PVC microplastics at 0.1% and 1% levels did not have a significant effect on overall bacterial community diversity and composition in soil over the course of 35 days, a number of bacterial genera were significantly reduced or enriched by the presence of microplastics. Potentially due to their effect on certain functional groups, microplastics caused a significant change in soil available P content. It is noteworthy that, depending on soil type, pollution level and plasticizer presence, contrasting effects of microplastics may be observed. Further research is definitely warranted to gain a clearer picture of the threats posed by microplastic pollution in soil environments.