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Peer-reviewedCC BYScientific Reports

Effects of aged and pristine microplastics on physical, chemical, and biological soil properties

  • Arlet Cortez1
  • Yoelvis Sulbaran-Bracho2
  • Brynelly Bastidas3
  • Agustín Vidal1
  • Juan Chirinos4
  • Felipe Puga2
  • María Florencia Yañez Yazlle5
  • Pedro Mondaca6
  • Zacharias Steinmetz7
  • Katherine Muñoz7
  • Humberto Aponte5
7 affiliations
  1. 1Escuela de Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales (ECA3), Universidad de O’Higgins
  2. 2Institute of Agri-Food, Animal and Environmental Sciences (ICA3), Universidad de O’Higgins
  3. 3Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA La Platina
  4. 4Grupo de Investigación en Energía y Procesos Sustentables. Instituto de Ciencias Aplicadas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Chile
  5. 5Laboratory of Soil Microbial Ecology and Biogeochemistry (LEMiBiS), Institute of Agri-Food, Animal and Environmental Sciences (ICA3), Universidad de O’Higgins
  6. 6Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las Américas
  7. 7iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau
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Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) can negatively affect soil microbial communities and biogeochemical processes. This study evaluated the effects of two polymers, polylactic acid (PLA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), at three concentrations (0.25%, 2.5%, 5% w/w) and two aging degrees (pristine and artificially UV-aged) on soil microbial community structure and functionality. A 12-week microcosm experiment was conducted to assess changes in soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and microbial diversity. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and ITS region were used to analyse bacterial and fungal α- and β-diversity, and functional potential was inferred using FAPROTAX and FungalTraits. MPs generally increased total organic carbon (TOC) and reduced water holding capacity (WHC). Aged MPs, particularly PLA at 5% w/w, reduced intracellular and overall soil enzyme activity. Bacterial richness and evenness decreased at 0.25% w/w but increased at 5% w/w, likely due to the dominance of a few competitive taxa. Fungal communities were more sensitive, showing reduced α-diversity across treatments. High MP contents promoted saprophytic families and shifted predicted metabolic pathways from aerobic to anaerobic, consistent with reduced WHC and increased TOC.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{cortez2026effects,
  title = {{Effects of aged and pristine microplastics on physical, chemical, and biological soil properties}},
  author = {Arlet Cortez and Yoelvis Sulbaran-Bracho and Brynelly Bastidas and Agustín Vidal and Juan Chirinos and Felipe Puga and María Florencia Yañez Yazlle and Pedro Mondaca and Zacharias Steinmetz and Katherine Muñoz and Humberto Aponte},
  journal = {Scientific Reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-63742-2},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63742-2},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Effects of aged and pristine microplastics on physical, chemical, and biological soil properties
AU  - Arlet Cortez
AU  - Yoelvis Sulbaran-Bracho
AU  - Brynelly Bastidas
AU  - Agustín Vidal
AU  - Juan Chirinos
AU  - Felipe Puga
AU  - María Florencia Yañez Yazlle
AU  - Pedro Mondaca
AU  - Zacharias Steinmetz
AU  - Katherine Muñoz
AU  - Humberto Aponte
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/01
JO  - Scientific Reports
DO  - 10.1038/s41598-026-63742-2
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-63742-2
AB  - Microplastics (MPs) can negatively affect soil microbial communities and biogeochemical processes. This study evaluated the effects of two polymers, polylactic acid (PLA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), at three concentrations (0.25%, 2.5%, 5% w/w) and two aging degrees (pristine and artificially UV-aged) on soil microbial community structure and functionality. A 12-week microcosm experiment was conducted to assess changes in soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and microbial diversity. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and ITS region were used to analyse bacterial and fungal α- and β-diversity, and functional potential was inferred using FAPROTAX and FungalTraits. MPs generally increased total organic carbon (TOC) and reduced water holding capacity (WHC). Aged MPs, particularly PLA at 5% w/w, reduced intracellular and overall soil enzyme activity. Bacterial richness and evenness decreased at 0.25% w/w but increased at 5% w/w, likely due to the dominance of a few competitive taxa. Fungal communities were more sensitive, showing reduced α-diversity across treatments. High MP contents promoted saprophytic families and shifted predicted metabolic pathways from aerobic to anaerobic, consistent with reduced WHC and increased TOC.
SN  - 2045-2322
ER  -