Do Soil pH Levels Drive the Responses of Catalase Activity and Bacterial Communities to Microplastics? A Case Study in Mollisols.

ABSTRACT: Prolonged application and low recycling rates of agricultural plastic films have resulted in significant accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in soils, posing a threat to soil health. However, the impacts of MPs on microbial communities and enzyme activities in Mollisols remain poorly understood. To address the key question of whether soil pH drives the responses of catalase (CAT) activity and bacterial communities to MPs-a core focus of this Mollisol-based case study-we investigated the effects of different MP concentrations (1%, 5%, and 10%) on bacterial community structure and CAT activity across three Mollisol farmlands with distinct pH levels. CAT activity was stimulated at low MP concentrations but inhibited at high levels, whereas dynamic and thermodynamic parameters displayed irregu

SUBMITTER: Yin Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12736934 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature