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Plastic waste is increasing and is a serious environmental problem. Among the threats associated with plastics is the release of contaminants into the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of metals release from plastics (low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polypropylene (PP)) as affected by different soil solution types, artificial root exudates, and distilled water. The extent of metal release varied depending on the type of solution and plastic used. Metals were leached most effectively from plastics in soil solutions, followed by root exudates, and least effectively by distilled water. LDPE released the highest concentrations of Cu and Na into solution, PP released the greatest amount of Fe, and PET released the most Cr. The efficiencies of Mg and Zn release from the plastics (PP and PET) varied by solution type. Among the plastics studied, LDPE exhibited the strongest ability to adsorb metals, such as Fe, Cr, Mg, and Zn from soil solutions. The amount of metal released from the plastics was also dependent on pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, and the electrical conductivity (EC) of the solutions. Moreover, plastic extracts were found to have negative effects on germination and growth in Lepidium sativum.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166100 | DOI Listing |
iScience
September 2025
Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in disease control by establishing symbiotic relationships with plant roots. AMF improve salinity tolerance in plants by regulating the Na/K ratio through selective ion transport and mediate osmotic regulation by inducing the accumulation of osmotic-compatible solutes such as glycine betaine and proline to enable plant cells to maintain water content and the metabolic balance. AMF can also activate antioxidant defense responses by stimulating enzymes that protect plant cells from harmful oxidation and pathological infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBeilstein J Nanotechnol
August 2025
Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Saigon University, 273 An Duong Vuong Street, Cho Quan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam.
This study employs a bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace to explore research trends on the impact of biochar on microplastics (MPs) in soil and water environments. In agricultural soils, MPs reduce crop yield, alter soil properties, and disrupt microbial diversity and nutrient cycling. Biochar, a stable and eco-friendly material, has demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating these effects by restoring soil chemistry, enhancing microbial diversity and improving crop productivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Res
September 2025
State Key Laboratory for Ecological Security of Regions and Cities, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China. Electronic address:
Recent interest in amendments derived from industrial by-products has highlighted their potential for both resource recycling and heavy metal remediation. Phosphate tailings (PT), primarily dolomite-based solid waste with low utilization rates, offer a promising yet underexplored solution. This study pioneers the thermal modification of PT into a novel amendment, thermally modified phosphate tailings (TPT), to assess its adsorption performance, underlying mechanisms, and effectiveness in immobilizing heavy metals in soils.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hazard Mater
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Microbial Diversity and Innovative Utilization, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address:
p-Dichlorobenzene (p-DCB), a persistent halogenated pollutant with regulatory thresholds of up to 200 mg/kg in industrial soils in China, poses significant environmental and health risks. Current bioremediation strategies are limited by poor microbial tolerance to high p-DCB concentrations (200-1000 mg/kg). Here, we report Cupriavidus sp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Microbiol Biotechnol
September 2025
Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
While PGPB have historically been applied in agriculture, their formal recognition in the last century has driven intensive research into their role as sustainable tools for improving crop yield and stress tolerance. As they are primarily sourced from wild or native environments, the widespread enthusiasm has led to heightened expectations surrounding their potential, often based on the assumption that biological solutions are inherently safer and more effective than synthetic inputs. However, despite their popularity, increasing reports of inconsistent or limited performance under real-world, field conditions have raised critical questions about their credibility as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents.
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