Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relevance of dissolved organic matter components on the adsorption behaviors of cadmium onto non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics in an agricultural soil

  • Soils, Sec 3 • Remediation and Management of Contaminated or Degraded Lands • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The role of microplastics (MPs), as vectors for coexisting contaminants, in affecting the adsorption and desorption behavior of cadmium (Cd) by regulating soil properties such as dissolved organic matter (DOM) is still under debate.

Methods

A 2-month incubation of soil contaminated with different sizes and concentrations of non-biodegradable polyethylene (PE) and three types of biodegradable MPs were conducted. Subsequently, three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) with fluorescence region integration (FRI) analysis of DOM and a batch experiment of Cd behavior on MP-contaminated soils were further conducted.

Results and discussion

Soil properties such as pH, ammonium nitrogen, and urease activity were significantly affected by MP properties. 3D-EEM analysis indicated that the microbial by-product substances and the humic acid–like substances were the major components of DOM in MP-contaminated soil, accounting for approximately 50%. Overall, Cd adsorption was decreased by higher MP concentration and larger size, and PE-contaminated soils had similar or higher adsorption capacities than soil with biodegradable MPs. MPs can decrease in Cd adsorption and increase in Cd desorption when compared to the control. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich models fitted well with Cd adsorption and desorption isotherms. Correlation analysis confirmed that the characteristics of DOM, such as the humification index values and major components, rather than other soil properties, contributed more to the adsorption behaviors of Cd on MP-contaminated soils.

Conclusion

Addition of MPs could mitigate soil Cd adsorption capacity, mainly due to the changes of soil DOM characteristics, which will enhance the mobility and risks of Cd to agricultural soil.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbasi S, Moore F, Keshavarzi B, Hopke P, Naidu R, Rahman M, Oleszczuk P, Karimi J (2020) PET-microplastics as a vector for heavy metals in a simulated plant rhizosphere zone. Sci Total Environ 744:140984–140984

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bandopadhyay S, Martin-Closas L, Pelacho A, DeBruyn J (2018) Biodegradable plastic mulch films: impacts on soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions. Front Microbiol 9:819–819

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bläsing M, Amelung W (2018) Plastics in soil: analytical methods and possible sources. Sci Total Environ 612:422–435

    Article  ADS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blettler M, Ulla M, Rabuffetti A, Garello N (2017) Plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems: macro-, meso-, and microplastic debris in a floodplain lake. Environ Monit Assess 189:1–13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen W, Westerhoff P, Leenheer J, Booksh K (2003) Fluorescence excitation−emission matrix regional integration to quantify spectra for dissolved organic matter. Environ Sci Technol 37:5701–5710

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen M, Zhao X, Wu D, Peng L, Fan C, Zhang W, Li Q, Ge C (2022) Addition of biodegradable microplastics alters the quantity and chemodiversity of dissolved organic matter in latosol. Sci Total Environ 816:151960–151960

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen X, Fan G, Zhu X, Li H, Li Y, Li H, Xu X (2023) The remediation of hexavalent chromium-contaminated soil by nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on sludge-based biochar. J Soil Sediment 23:1607–1616

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duan Y, Yang H, Yang H, We Z, Che J, Wu W, Lyu L, Li W (2023) Physiological and morphological responses of blackberry seedlings to different nitrogen forms. Plants 12:1480–1480

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Elizalde-Velázquez A, Subbiah S, Anderson T, Green M, Zhao X, Cañas-Carrell J (2020) Sorption of three common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to microplastics. Sci Total Environ 715:136974–136974

  • Fan X, Zou Y, Geng N, Liu J, Hou J, Li D, Yang C, Li Y (2021) Investigation on the adsorption and desorption behaviors of antibiotics by degradable MPs with or without UV ageing process. J Hazard Mater 401:123363–123363

  • Fei Y, Huang S, Zhang H, Tong Y, Wen D, Xia X, Wang H, Luo Y, Barceló D (2020) Response of soil enzyme activities and bacterial communities to the accumulation of microplastics in an acid cropped soil. Sci Total Environ 707:135634–135634

  • Feng X, Wang Q, Sun Y, Zhang S, Wang F (2022) Microplastics change soil properties, heavy metal availability and bacterial community in a Pb-Zn-contaminated soil. J Hazard Mater 424:127364–127364

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gao J, Liang C, Shen G, Lv J, Wu H (2017) Spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter in various agricultural soils throughout China. Chemosphere 176:108–116

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Horton AA, Walton A, Spurgeon DJ, Lahive E, Svendsen C (2017) Microplastics in freshwater and terrestrial environments: evaluating the current understanding to identify the knowledge gaps and future research priorities. Sci Total Environ 586:127–141

  • Huang Y, Liu Q, Jia W, Yan C, Wang J (2020) Agricultural plastic mulching as a source of microplastics in the terrestrial environment. Environ Pollut 260:114096–114096

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang R, Wang M, Chen W (2018) Characterization of adsorption and desorption of lawn herbicide siduron in heavy metal contaminated soils. Chemosphere 204:483–491

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang B, Adebayo A, Jia J, Xing Y, Deng S, Guo L, Liang Y, Zhang D (2019) Impacts of heavy metals and soil properties at a Nigerian e-waste site on soil microbial community. J Hazard Hater 362:187–195

  • Khalid N, Aqeel M, Noman A, Khan S, Akhter N (2021) Interactions and effects of microplastics with heavy metals in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Environ Pollut 290:118104–118104

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khalid AR, Shah T, Asad M, Ali A, Samee E, Adnan F, Bhatti MF, Marhan S, Kammann CI, Haider G (2023) Biochar alleviated the toxic effects of PVC microplastic in a soil-plant system by upregulating soil enzyme activities and microbial abundance. Environ Pollut 332:121810–121810

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Khan Z, Gao M, Qiu W, Islam M, Song Z (2020) Mechanisms for cadmium adsorption by magnetic biochar composites in an aqueous solution. Chemosphere 246:125701–125701

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar M, Xiong X, He M, Tsang D, Gupta J, Khan E, Harrad S, Hou D, Ok Y, Bolan N (2020) Microplastics as pollutants in agricultural soils. Environ Pollut 265:114980–114980

  • Li X, Zhou Q, Wei S, Ren W, Sun X (2011) Adsorption and desorption of carbendazim and cadmium in typical soils in northeastern China as affected by temperature. Geoderma 160:347–354

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Li A, Xu J, Liu B, Fu L, Li W, Yu H (2012) SMP production by activated sludge in the presence of a metabolic uncoupler, 3, 3′, 4′, 5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS). Appl Microbiol Biot 95:1313–1321

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Wang Y, Liu M, Liu Q, Xie Z, Li Z, Uchimiya M, Chen Y (2019) Three-year field observation of biochar-mediated changes in soil organic carbon and microbial activity. J Environ Qual 48:717–726

  • Li R, Liu Y, Sheng Y, Xiang Q, Zhou Y, Cizdziel JV (2020) Effect of prothioconazole on the degradation of microplastics derived from mulching plastic film: apparent change and interaction with heavy metals in soil. Environ Pollut 260:113988–113988

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Wu D, Wu D, Guo H, Han S (2021) Influence of polyethylene-microplastic on environmental behaviors of metals in soil. Environ Sci Pollut R 28:28329–28336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li R, Xi B, Tan W, Yuan Y (2022a) Spatiotemporal heterogeneous effects of microplastics input on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) under field conditions. Sci Total Environ 847:157605–157605

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Li C, Xin Y, Huang T, Liu J (2022b) Petroleum pollution affects soil chemistry and reshapes the diversity and networks of microbial communities. Ecotox Environ Safe 246:114129–114129

  • Liu H, Yang X, Liu G, Liang C, Xue S, Chen H, Ritsema C, Geissen V (2017) Response of soil dissolved organic matter to microplastic addition in Chinese loess soil. Chemosphere 185:907–917

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Yang X, Liang C, Li Y, Qiao L, Ai Z, Xue S, Liu G (2019) Interactive effects of microplastics and glyphosate on the dynamics of soil dissolved organic matter in a Chinese loess soil. Catena 182:104177–104177

  • Liu G, Dave PH, Kwong RW, Wu M, Zhong H (2021) Inffuence of microplastics on the mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity of heavy metals: a review. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 107:710–721

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Liu Z, Wu L, Li Y, Wang J, Wei H, Zhang J (2022) Effect of polyethylene microplastics and acid rain on the agricultural soil ecosystem in Southern China. Environ Pollut 303:119094–119094

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luo Y, He Y, Zhou D, Pan L, Wu Y (2024) Organic amendment application affects the release behaviour, bioavailability, and speciation of heavy metals in zinc smelting slag: insight into dissolved organic matter. J Hazard Mater 465:133105–133105

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meng F, Yang X, Riksen M, Geissen V (2022) Effect of different polymers of microplastics on soil organic carbon and nitrogen–a mesocosm experiment. Environ Res 204:111938–111938

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miao R, Ma J, Liu Y, Liu Y, Yang Z, Guo M (2019) Variability of aboveground litter inputs alters soil carbon and nitrogen in a coniferous–broadleaf mixed forest of Central China. Forests 10:188–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi Y, Beriot N, Gort G, Lwanga E, Gooren H, Yang X, Geissen V (2020) Impact of plastic mulch film debris on soil physicochemical and hydrological properties. Environ Pollut 266:115097–115097

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ren X, Tang J, Liu X, Liu Q (2020) Effects of microplastics on greenhouse gas emissions and the microbial community in fertilized soil. Environ Pollut 256:113347–113347

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ren Z, Gui X, Wei Y, Chen X, Xu X, Zhao L, Qiu H, Cao X (2021) Chemical and photo-initiated aging enhances transport risk of microplastics in saturated soils: key factors, mechanisms, and modeling. Water Res 202:117407–117407

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rillig M, Ingraffia R, de Souza MA (2017) Microplastic incorporation into soil in agroecosystems. Front Plant Sci 8:1805–1805

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shi J, Wang J, Lv J, Wang Z, Peng Y, Shang J, Wang X (2022a) Microplastic additions alter soil organic matter stability and bacterial community under varying temperature in two contrasting soils. Sci Total Environ 838:156471–156471

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shi K, Zhang H, Xu H, Liu Z, Kan G, Yu K, Jiang J (2022b) Adsorption behaviors of triclosan by non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics: kinetics and mechanism. Sci Total Environ 842:156832–156832

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sun J, Guo L, Li Q, Zhao Y, Gao M, She Z, Jin C (2016) Three-dimensional fluorescence excitation–emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy with regional integration analysis for assessing waste sludge hydrolysis at different pretreated temperatures. Environ Sci Pollut R 23:24061–24067

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Surendran U, Jayakumar M, Raja P, Gopinath G, Chellam P (2023) Microplastics in terrestrial ecosystem: sources and migration in soil environment. Chemosphere 318:137946–137946

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tang G, Li B, Zhang B, Hu S, Chen S, Liu T, Wang Q, Qiao H, Zheng X (2023) Temperature effects on microbial dissolved organic matter metabolisms: linking size fractions, fluorescent compositions, and functional groups. Sci Total Environ 864:161175–161175

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torres F, Dioses-Salinas D, Pizarro-Ortega C, De-la-Torre G (2021) Sorption of chemical contaminants on degradable and non-degradable microplastics: recent progress and research trends. Sci Total Environ 757:143875–143875

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsiota P, Karkanorachaki K, Syranidou E, Franchini M, Kalogerakis N (2018) Microbial Degradation of HDPE Secondary Microplastics: preliminary results. In: Proceedings of the international conference on microplastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Germany: Springer, pp 181–188

  • Wang B, Zeng D, Chen Y, Belzile N, Bai Y, Zhu J, Shu J, Chen S (2019) Adsorption behaviors of phenanthrene and bisphenol A in purple paddy soils amended with straw-derived DOM in the West Sichuan Plain of China. Ecotox Environ Safe 169:737–746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang P, Peng H, Liu J, Zhu Z, Bi X, Yu Q, Zhang J (2020a) Effects of exogenous dissolved organic matter on the adsorption–desorption behaviors and bioavailabilities of Cd and Hg in a plant–soil system. Sci Total Environ 728:138252–138252

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Wang S, Wang C, Zhang Z, Zhang J, Meng M, Li M, Uchimiya M, Yuan X (2020b) Simultaneous immobilization of soil Cd(II) and As(V) by Fe-modified biochar. Int J Env Res Pub 17:827–827

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J, Peng C, Li H, Zhang P, Liu Z (2021) The impact of microplastic-microbe interactions on animal health and biogeochemical cycles: a mini-review. Sci Total Environ 773:145697–145697

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang F, Wang Q, Adams CA, Sun Y, Zhang S (2022a) Effects of microplastics on soil properties: current knowledge and future perspectives. J Hazard Mater 424:127531–127531

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Feng X, Liu Y, Cui W, Sun Y, Zhang S, Wang F (2022b) Effects of microplastics and carbon nanotubes on soil geochemical properties and bacterial communities J Hazard. Mater 433:128826–128826

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Feng X, Liu Y, Li W, Cui W, Sun Y, Zhang S, Wang F, Xing B (2023) Response of peanut plant and soil N-fixing bacterial communities to conventional and biodegradable microplastics. J Hazard Mater 459:132142–132142

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao K, Horn H, Abbt-Braun G (2022) “Humic substances” measurement in sludge dissolved organic matter: a critical assessment of current methods. Chemosphere 293:133608–133608

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xie J, Dong A, Liu J, Su J, Hu P, Xu C, Chen J, Wu Q (2019) Relevance of dissolved organic matter generated from green manuring of Chinese milk vetch in relation to water-soluble cadmium. Environ Sci Pollut R 26:16409–16421

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan S, Biswal B, Balasubramanian R (2023) Insights into interactions of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics with heavy metals. Environ Sci Pollut R 30:107419–107434

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang X, Liu J, McGrouther K, Huang H, Lu K, Guo X, He L, Lin X, Che L, Ye Z, Wang H (2016) Effect of biochar on the extractability of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and enzyme activity in soil. Environ Sci Pollut R 23:974–984

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu H, Hou J, Dang Q, Cui D, Xi B, Tan W (2020) Decrease in bioavailability of soil heavy metals caused by the presence of microplastics varies across aggregate levels. J Hazard Mater 395:122690–122690

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Zhang F, Song J (2018) Analysis of hydrochemical characteristics and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra in the semi-arid Ebinur Lake Watershed, Xinjiang, China. Water 10:426–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Han B, Sun Y, Wang F (2020a) Microplastics influence the adsorption and desorption characteristics of Cd in an agricultural soil. J Hazard Mater 388:121775–121775

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Li W, Zhou W, Jia H, Li B (2020b) Adsorption-desorption characteristics of pyraclonil in eight agricultural soils. J Soil Sediment 20:1404–1412

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Qian W, Wu L, Yu S, Wei R, Chen W, Ni J (2022) Spectral characteristics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) derived from biomass pyrolysis: biochar-derived DOC versus smoke-derived DOC, and their differences from natural DOC. Chemosphere 302:134869–134869

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Guo W, Wang B, Feng Y, Han L, Zhang C, Xie H, Liu X, Feng Y (2023) Influences of microplastics types and size on soil properties and cadmium adsorption in paddy soil after one rice season. Res Environ Sustain 11:100102–100102

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao T, Lozano Y, Rillig M (2021) Microplastics increase soil pH and decrease microbial activities as a function of microplastic shape, polymer type, and exposure time. Front Environ Sci 9:675803–675803

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41601540, 42007018); the Foundation Research Project of Jiangsu Province (BK20160859); the National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFD0800302).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, PR China

    Jian Chen, Jizhou Li, Zhiwang Feng, Haiyan Zhang, Xuyin Yuan, Ningyuan Zhu & Yimin Wang

  2. Geography & Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Llandinam Building, Aberystwyth, Wales, SY23 3DB, UK

    Harry Toland

  3. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Ningyuan Zhu

Authors
  1. Jian Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jizhou Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhiwang Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Haiyan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xuyin Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Harry Toland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ningyuan Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Yimin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

JC and JL were involved in the experiments and manuscript writing. ZF and HZ were involved in the data analysis. XY and HT were responsible for the experiment supervision and data analysis. NZ and YW designed the study. YW contributed to the data analysis, manuscript reviewing, and editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yimin Wang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Zhaohui Wang

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, J., Li, J., Feng, Z. et al. Relevance of dissolved organic matter components on the adsorption behaviors of cadmium onto non-biodegradable and biodegradable microplastics in an agricultural soil. J Soils Sediments 24, 1237–1249 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03731-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03731-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation