[en] Biodegradable plastic poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) has raised concerns regarding the release of PBAT microplastics and their potential environmental risks. In this study, PBAT plastic films were incubated in soil for 180 days to investigate the temporal evolution of PBAT microplastics and the dynamic responses of soil bacteria and fungi. The results showed that PBAT microplastics initially increased to a peak before decreasing by 74.7 % within 180 days. The predominant microplastics were film-shaped and smaller than 10 μm. Based on the temporal patterns, three distinct phases were identified: the initial release phase (0–30 days), the critical release phase (60–120 days), and the critical degradation phase (150–180 days). Notably, dominant fungal biomarkers with prevalent saprotrophic functions, particularly Humicola and Schizothecium, promoted the formation of PBAT microplastics by structurally fragmenting the PBAT film. In contrast, dominant bacterial biomarkers associated with dominant metabolic functions, such as Verrucomicrobiota, primarily contributed to the degradation of the PBAT microplastics by utilizing them as carbon sources. Our findings offer new insights into systematically evaluating the environmental behavior and potential environmental risks of biodegradable microplastics and provide a theoretical basis for strategies aimed at accelerating the degradation of biodegradable microplastics in soil environments.
Disciplines :
Chemistry
Author, co-author :
Wang, Yue; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China
Bai, Run-Hao; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China
Liu, Qi ; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China
Tang, Qiu-Xiang; Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education/College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, No. 311 Nongda East Road, Urumqi 830052, China
Xie, Chang-Hong; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China
Richel, Aurore ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Chemistry for Sustainable Food and Environmental Systems (CSFES)
Len, Christophe ; Chimie ParisTech, CNRS, PSL Research University, Institute of Chemistry for Life and Health Sciences, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris F-75005, France
Cui, Ji-Xiao; a Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China b Institute of Western Agricultural, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 195 Ningbian East Road, Changji 831100, China
Yan, Chang-Rong; Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China
He, Wen-Qing; a Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Residual Pollution in Agricultural Film, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Beijing 100081, China b Institute of Western Agricultural, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 195 Ningbian East Road, Changji 831100, China
Language :
English
Title :
Degradation of biodegradable plastic films in soil: microplastics formation and soil microbial community dynamics
Publication date :
April 2025
Journal title :
Journal of Hazardous Materials
ISSN :
0304-3894
eISSN :
1873-3336
Publisher :
Elsevier
Volume :
492
Pages :
138250
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Development Goals :
12. Responsible consumption and production 15. Life on land 14. Life below water
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