Authors
Stathis Lagos, Eleni Lamprou, Hongfei Liu, Clemence Thiour- Mauprivez, Joana MacLean, Myriel Cooper, Ayme Spor, Fabrice Martin-Laurent, Matthias C Rillig, Dimitrios G Karpouzas
Published in
FEMS microbiology ecology. Oct 15, 2025. Epub Oct 15, 2025.
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) frequently co-occur with pesticides and veterinary medicines in agricultural soils. However, their interactive effects on soil microbiota remain largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effects of three MP types (LDPE-, PBAT-, and starch- based), applied at two concentrations (0.01 and 0.1%), either alone or in combination with the fungicide pyraclostrobin (PYR) and/or the anthelminthic albendazole (ABZ), on soil microbial functioning. Nitrate levels, nitrification rates, ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM), and denitrifying bacteria served as indicators of perturbations on soil N cycling in soils from France, the Netherlands, and Greece. Microbial responses were soil-dependent, with the Greek soil being the most affected. In contrast, plastic type- and dose-dependent effects were sporadic and limited in the French and Dutch soil. In the Greek soil, all MP types increased the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrification rates, accompanied by a compensatory decline in ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and commamox bacteria. These effects were reversed by the co-application of MPs with ABZ. On the other hand, Denitrifying bacteria remained unaffected in all soils. Our results are alarming, considering the perturbation of nitrification imposed by MPs and other soil pollutants, which could enhance greenhouse gas emissions or adversely affect soil fertility and agricultural production.
PMID:
41092321
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 16 Oct 2025.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 53
- Comments 0