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Fungi-Driven Shifts in Soil DOM Molecular Composition under Biobased Biodegradable Microplastic Exposure

Xiaofang Ma1,2, Zhijun Wei1, Ke Meng2

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Changshu National Agro-Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China.

Environmental Science & Technology
|April 8, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Biobased biodegradable microplastics (Bio-MPs) significantly alter soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition. Fungi initiate a metabolic cascade, converting recalcitrant compounds into labile DOM, impacting soil organic matter (SOM) stability.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Soil Science
  • Biogeochemistry

Background:

  • Biobased biodegradable microplastics (Bio-MPs) impact soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity and molecular composition, influencing soil organic matter (SOM) stability.
  • The microbial mechanisms, especially the role of fungi, in Bio-MP-induced DOM turnover are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the microbial mechanisms driving DOM turnover under Bio-MP exposure, focusing on the role of fungi.
  • To characterize the changes in DOM molecular composition and microbial communities in response to different Bio-MPs.

Main Methods:

  • Soil incubation experiment with polylactic acid (PLA-MPs) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA-MPs) for 30 days.
  • Analysis of DOM molecular dynamics using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS).
  • Characterization of microbial communities via 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing.

Main Results:

  • PHA-MPs, unlike PLA-MPs, rapidly increased DOM content and CO2 emissions.
  • PHA-MPs shifted DOM composition from recalcitrant (lignins, tannins) to labile compounds (lipids, proteins/amino sugars).
  • Fungal depolymerization of PHA-MPs and SOM initiated a cascade, leading to labile DOM formation and bacterial assimilation, with enrichment of fungi like *Neocosmospora*.

Conclusions:

  • Fungi play a pivotal role in mediating Bio-MP-induced DOM turnover.
  • Fungal activity drives the transformation of soil DOM composition under PHA-MP exposure.
  • The study highlights a fungal-initiated metabolic cascade influencing soil DOM dynamics and SOM stability.
Keywords:
biobased biodegradable microplasticsdissolved organic matterfungipolyhydroxyalkanoatespolylactic acid

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