Polyethylene microplastics interfere with the nutrient cycle in water-plant-sediment systems

Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd..

Increasing microplastic (MP) pollution and its effects on aquatic systems have become a global issue; however, the impact of MPs on biogeochemical cycles is poorly understood. A simulation study was performed to analyse the influence of polyethylene (PE) microplastics on the morphological, physiological, and stoichiometric (C, N, P) characteristics of submerged plants, and to investigate their effects on the nutrient cycle and microbial community in freshwater sediment. The results showed that PE-MPs treatments significantly decreased leaf nitrogen and carbon contents. Exposure to 1% PE-MPs suppressed the plant height, total biomass, root activity, and relative growth rate of Vallisneria natans. Decrease in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (19.93-40.26%) were observed in the 1% PE-MPs treatment group compared to that in the control between 1 and 6 days. The activities of enzymes (ammonia monooxygenase and nitrate reductase) related to the nitrogen cycle were significantly altered by the addition of PE-MPs. We found that PE-MPs acted as obstacle disruptors, resulting in a reduction in the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from the sediment to the overlying water. This is because PE-MPs significantly alter the composition and metabolic properties of the microbial communities in sediments, the plant growth, and the nutrient cycle. These findings helped evaluate the impacts of PE-MPs on the water-plant-sediment system and on the biogeochemical cycles of the freshwater ecosystems.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:214

Enthalten in:

Water research - 214(2022) vom: 01. Mai, Seite 118191

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Yu, Hongwei [VerfasserIn]
Liu, Miaomiao [VerfasserIn]
Gang, Diga [VerfasserIn]
Peng, Jianfeng [VerfasserIn]
Hu, Chengzhi [VerfasserIn]
Qu, Jiuhui [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Biogeochemistry
Ecosystems
Journal Article
Metabolism
Plant growth
Sediment

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 19.10.2023

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status Publisher

doi:

10.1016/j.watres.2022.118191

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM337506582