Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes
Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) have attracted extensive attention as an alternative to conventional plastics. BDPs could be mineralized by composting, while the quality of compost affected by the presence of BDPs and the residual microplastics (MPs) has not been well evaluated. This study aimed to ex...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Environment International |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023005640 |
| _version_ | 1797616036104634368 |
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| author | Yuchen Zhang Jianping Tao Yudan Bai Feng Wang Bing Xie |
| author_facet | Yuchen Zhang Jianping Tao Yudan Bai Feng Wang Bing Xie |
| author_sort | Yuchen Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) have attracted extensive attention as an alternative to conventional plastics. BDPs could be mineralized by composting, while the quality of compost affected by the presence of BDPs and the residual microplastics (MPs) has not been well evaluated. This study aimed to explore the MPs release potential and environmental implications of commercial BDPs (aromatic−aliphatic copolymer) films in uncontrolled composting. Results showed that the molecular weight of BDPs decreased by >60% within 60 d. However, the non-extracted organic matter and wet-sieving measurements indicated that MPs continuously released and accumulated during regular composting. The average MPs release potential (0.1–5 mm) was 134.6 ± 18.1 particles/mg (BDPs), which resulted in 103–104 particles/g dw in compost. The plastisphere of MPs showed a significantly higher (0.95–16.76 times) abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which resulted in the rising (1.34–2.24 times) of ARGs in compost heaps, in comparison to the control groups. Overall, BDPs promote the spread of ARGs through the selective enrichment of bacteria and horizontal transfer from released MPs. These findings confirmed that BDPs could enhance the release potential of MPs and the dissemination of ARGs, which would promote the holistic understanding and environmental risk of BDPs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:35:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa3938d4edc24b2d90be0db10113f31a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:35:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa3938d4edc24b2d90be0db10113f31a2023-11-17T05:24:53ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202023-11-01181108291Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genesYuchen Zhang0Jianping Tao1Yudan Bai2Feng Wang3Bing Xie4Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, ChinaShanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaShanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaShanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaShanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China; Corresponding author at: Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China.Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) have attracted extensive attention as an alternative to conventional plastics. BDPs could be mineralized by composting, while the quality of compost affected by the presence of BDPs and the residual microplastics (MPs) has not been well evaluated. This study aimed to explore the MPs release potential and environmental implications of commercial BDPs (aromatic−aliphatic copolymer) films in uncontrolled composting. Results showed that the molecular weight of BDPs decreased by >60% within 60 d. However, the non-extracted organic matter and wet-sieving measurements indicated that MPs continuously released and accumulated during regular composting. The average MPs release potential (0.1–5 mm) was 134.6 ± 18.1 particles/mg (BDPs), which resulted in 103–104 particles/g dw in compost. The plastisphere of MPs showed a significantly higher (0.95–16.76 times) abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which resulted in the rising (1.34–2.24 times) of ARGs in compost heaps, in comparison to the control groups. Overall, BDPs promote the spread of ARGs through the selective enrichment of bacteria and horizontal transfer from released MPs. These findings confirmed that BDPs could enhance the release potential of MPs and the dissemination of ARGs, which would promote the holistic understanding and environmental risk of BDPs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023005640Biodegradable plasticsMPsARGsPlastisphereCompost |
| spellingShingle | Yuchen Zhang Jianping Tao Yudan Bai Feng Wang Bing Xie Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes Environment International Biodegradable plastics MPs ARGs Plastisphere Compost |
| title | Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes |
| title_full | Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes |
| title_fullStr | Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes |
| title_short | Incomplete degradation of aromatic–aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes |
| title_sort | incomplete degradation of aromatic aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes |
| topic | Biodegradable plastics MPs ARGs Plastisphere Compost |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023005640 |
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