Spatiotemporal heterogeneous effects of microplastics input on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) under field conditions

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) as emerging persistent pollutants are ubiquitous in terrestrial environments. The effects of MPs input on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) yet remain largely unclear, which limits our ability to predict how soil carbon dynamics will respond to the intensifying terrestrial plastic contamination, especially under the context of climate change. Here, a long-term field experiment with MPs addition treatment in soils spanning cold temperate zone to the tropics in China was conducted to evaluate the effects of MPs on DOM composition and to explore the spatial and temporal distribution patterns and relevant mechanistic controls of DOM responses after MPs input. We report that the DOM composition in soils with MPs addition was significantly changed relative to the ambient, in which tryptophan-like substances were decreased and humic-like substances were increased. Moreover, we find more apparent transformations of DOM composition in soils for longer treatment time, suggesting a long-lasting effect of MPs on DOM. The overall impact of MPs on DOM is more pronounced in lower latitudes, and nutrient availability and latitude-related climatic variables are associated with the influence degree of MPs input on soil DOM.