The effects of PE and PLA microplastics on nitrogen metabolism related functional microorganisms in water
WANG Zhi-chao1, MA Yu1, YANG Li-wen2, YIN Zhen-yu1, BAI Long1, LI Wei-ping1
1. Autonomous Region Level Ecological Protection and Comprehensive Utilization Cooperative Innovation Center for the Inner Mongolia Section of the Yellow River Basin, School of Energy and Environment, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014010, China; 2. Baotou Wetland Protection Center, Baotou 014010, China
Abstract：To have explored the mechanism of the impact of MPs on the nitrogen metabolism function of water bodies, the study had conducted indoor simulation experiments from the perspective of microorganisms. Specifically, it had experimentally tested the impact of traditional polyethylene (PE) microplastics and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics at various concentrations (0, 1, 5, and 10mg/L) on total nitrogen (TN), ammonium (NH4+-N), nitrite (NO2--N), and nitrate (NO3--N) levels. Furthermore, it had analyzed the effects on nitrogen-metabolizing microbial communities and their functional genes. The results had shown that both PE and PLA microplastics had contribute to nitrogen accumulation in water. PE microplastics increased TN concentrations by 53.77% to 94.76%, while PLA microplastics had caused an increase of 24.04% to 48.74% compared to the control. The impact on different nitrogen forms had varied according to the type and concentration of microplastics. Notably, PE microplastics had been negatively correlated with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Cyanobacteria, whereas PLA microplastics had exhibited a positive correlation with bacteria involved in inorganic nitrogen processes, such as Actinobacteria. It had further shown that both PE and PLA microplastics had significantly affected genes responsible for nitrogen fixation, nitrate reduction, and denitrification. This research had highlightsed the complex effects of microplastics on nitrogen cycling in aquatic systems, with the same particle size but different types and concentrations of MPs leading to varied outcomes on microbial community structure and nitrogen metabolism functions.
王志超, 马钰, 杨丽文, 殷震育, 白龙, 李卫平. PE和PLA微塑料对水体氮代谢相关功能微生物的影响[J]. 中国环境科学, 2025, 45(1): 278-291.
WANG Zhi-chao, MA Yu, YANG Li-wen, YIN Zhen-yu, BAI Long, LI Wei-ping. The effects of PE and PLA microplastics on nitrogen metabolism related functional microorganisms in water. CHINA ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCECE, 2025, 45(1): 278-291.
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