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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Soil Science
  • Ecotoxicology

Background:

  • Nanoplastics are increasingly prevalent in ecosystems.
  • Their impact on soil processes and functions remains largely unknown.
  • Understanding nanoplastic effects is crucial for environmental risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distinct effects of charged nanoplastics on soil microbial communities.
  • To assess nanoplastic impacts on nitrogen cycling (denitrification, anammox) and greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O).
  • To evaluate nanoplastic influence on soil ecosystem multifunctionality in the presence and absence of earthworms.

Main Methods:

  • A 42-day microcosm experiment using soils with and without earthworms.
  • Exposure to two types of polystyrene nanoplastics: positively charged (PS-NH2) and negatively charged (PS-SO3H).
  • Analysis of microbial community structure, nitrogen removal rates, greenhouse gas fluxes, and ecosystem multifunctionality.

Main Results:

  • Nanoplastics significantly altered soil microbial communities, with PS-NH2 showing more pronounced effects.
  • Both denitrification and anammox rates were inhibited at high nanoplastic concentrations, while effects varied at lower concentrations.
  • Nanoplastics consistently inhibited N2O flux but enhanced CO2 and CH4 emissions, increasing overall global warming potential.
  • Ecosystem multifunctionality was enhanced at low concentrations and inhibited at high concentrations.

Conclusions:

  • Differentially charged nanoplastics exert distinct impacts on soil ecosystems.
  • Nanoplastics can disrupt nitrogen cycling and alter greenhouse gas budgets, potentially increasing global warming potential.
  • Soil ecosystem multifunctionality is sensitive to nanoplastic contamination levels and earthworm presence.