Microplastic in loam soil reduces the bioavailability of copper to soybean (Glycine max)
摘要
Plastic is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, with polyethylene terephthalate being a major contributor. Degradation of plastic produces microplastic particles, which can interact with metal ions. The objective of this study was to determine if polyethylene terephthalate microplastic reduces copper bioavailability and uptake in soybean (Glycine max). Soybeans were grown in soil treated with 0, 300 or 500 mg/kg copper sulphate with or without 10 g/kg microplastic fragments. Neither root nor leaf biomass were affected by microplastic or copper, alone or in combination, indicating non-inhibitory concentrations of each contaminant. Bioavailable copper was reduced by up to 45% in soils spiked with copper and PET microplastic, relative to soil spiked only with copper. Accordingly, copper accumulation in soybean was reduced by up to 53% in roots and 55% in leaves in the presence of PET microplastic. The decline in copper bioavailability and uptake associated with the presence of PET microplastic might be explained in part by a 0.36 unit increase in pH in soils spiked with 500 mg/kg copper and PET microplastic compared to soil spiked only with copper. However, this magnitude of pH change does not explain the magnitude of change in copper bioavailability. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that microplastic reduces copper bioavailability by direct binding of copper ions in soil, although future studies are needed to test this idea.