Microplastics aging potentially enlarge the ecological risk to wetland sediments as revealed by their interactive effects on γ-HCH dissipation and methane production

IF 11.4 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Water Research Pub Date : 2025-06-30 DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2025.124137

Xin Su , Meng Liu , Yuxuan Chen , Duyang Feng , Jianming Xu , Yan He

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Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) have garnered global concern, yet the environmental implications of their aging remain poorly understood. Especially, their interactions with co-occurring pollutants and impacts on biogeochemical processes in wetland sediments require further investigation. Through microcosm experiments, this study systematically elucidated the differential effects of pristine vs. aged MPs on γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) behavior and methanogenesis. Aged MPs exhibited enhanced γ-HCH adsorption (666.7 vs. 500.0 mg kg^-1 for pristine MPs), yet paradoxically inhibited γ-HCH dissipation in wetland sediments. This demonstrates that previous studies might oversimplify the interaction between MPs and pollutants. Concurrently, Dhc functional gene abundance on aged MP-surface biofilms declined sharply from 3015.4 to 811.4 copies g^-1 dw over 60 days, suggesting impaired functional microorganisms. Notably, aged MPs amplified CH₄ production (1.64 ± 0.10 vs. 1.25 ± 0.15 mg kg^-1 day^-1 pristine MPs) and H₂O₂ generation (2.62 ± 0.12 vs. 2.06 ± 0.05 mmol L^-1 pristine MPs), with reduced microbial complexity and stability. Mechanistically, aging altered MP surface properties, selectively enriching mcrA functional genes and methanogenic archaea (Methanomassiliicoccus and Methanosarcina). These findings show aged MPs in suppressing pollutant dissipation (γ-HCH) while accelerating elemental cycling (CH₄), driven by reactive oxygen species and microbiome shifts. Given the widespread occurrence of aged MPs in wetlands, this study underscores their underappreciated yet critical influence on wetland sediment biogeochemistry, urging prioritized research to mitigate their cascading potential risks.

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微塑料老化对湿地沉积物γ-HCH耗散和甲烷生成的交互作用表明，微塑料老化可能会加大湿地沉积物的生态风险

微塑料（MPs）已引起全球关注，但其老化对环境的影响仍知之甚少。特别是它们与共生污染物的相互作用以及对湿地沉积物生物地球化学过程的影响有待进一步研究。本研究通过微观实验系统地阐明了原始和老化MPs对γ-六氯环己烷（γ-HCH）行为和甲烷生成的差异影响。老化MPs对γ-HCH的吸附增强（原始MPs为666.7 mg kg-1，而原始MPs为500.0 mg kg-1），但却抑制了湿地沉积物中γ-HCH的消散。这表明，以前的研究可能过于简化了MPs与污染物之间的相互作用。同时，衰老的mp表面生物膜上的Dhc功能基因丰度在60天内从3015.4拷贝g-1 dw急剧下降到811.4拷贝g-1 dw，表明功能微生物受损。值得注意的是，衰老的MPs增加了CH4的产生（1.64±0.10 vs 1.25±0.15 mg kg-1 day-1原始MPs）和H2O2的产生（2.62±0.12 vs 2.06±0.05 mmol L-1原始MPs），降低了微生物的复杂性和稳定性。在机制上，老化改变了MP的表面特性，选择性地富集了mcrA功能基因和产甲烷古细菌（Methanomassiliicoccus和Methanosarcina）。这些发现表明，在活性氧和微生物群变化的驱动下，衰老的MPs抑制污染物消散（γ-HCH），同时加速元素循环（CH4）。鉴于老化MPs在湿地中广泛存在，本研究强调了它们对湿地沉积物生物地球化学的重要影响，并敦促优先研究以减轻其级联潜在风险。

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来源期刊

Water Research 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

20.80

自引率

9.40%

发文量

1307

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Water Research, along with its open access companion journal Water Research X, serves as a platform for publishing original research papers covering various aspects of the science and technology related to the anthropogenic water cycle, water quality, and its management worldwide. The audience targeted by the journal comprises biologists, chemical engineers, chemists, civil engineers, environmental engineers, limnologists, and microbiologists. The scope of the journal include: •Treatment processes for water and wastewaters (municipal, agricultural, industrial, and on-site treatment), including resource recovery and residuals management; •Urban hydrology including sewer systems, stormwater management, and green infrastructure; •Drinking water treatment and distribution; •Potable and non-potable water reuse; •Sanitation, public health, and risk assessment; •Anaerobic digestion, solid and hazardous waste management, including source characterization and the effects and control of leachates and gaseous emissions; •Contaminants (chemical, microbial, anthropogenic particles such as nanoparticles or microplastics) and related water quality sensing, monitoring, fate, and assessment; •Anthropogenic impacts on inland, tidal, coastal and urban waters, focusing on surface and ground waters, and point and non-point sources of pollution; •Environmental restoration, linked to surface water, groundwater and groundwater remediation; •Analysis of the interfaces between sediments and water, and between water and atmosphere, focusing specifically on anthropogenic impacts; •Mathematical modelling, systems analysis, machine learning, and beneficial use of big data related to the anthropogenic water cycle; •Socio-economic, policy, and regulations studies.