Leachable Additives of Tire Particles Explain the Shift in Microbial Community Composition and Function in Coastal Sediments

Massive microplastics are deposited in the coastal zone. Tire particles (TPs) are an important microplastic source, but little is known about how TPs affect the microbial community composition and function in coastal sediments and the role leachable additives play in TP toxicity. Here, a microcosm experiment was performed using coastal sediments amended with different doses of TPs and with their leachable additives to investigate their effects on the sediment microbial community composition and function. Environmentally relevant concentrations of TPs can change the microbial community structure, decrease community diversity, and inhibit nutrient cycling processes, including carbon fixation and degradation, nitrification, denitrification, and sulfur cycling in sediments. Notably, the raw TP and leachate treatments showed consistent effects. A variety of additives were found in the pore water of sediment, and they could explain over 90% of the variations of the community structure. Further modeling revealed that leachable additives not only directly influenced community function but also indirectly affected community diversity and function by shifting the community structure. In addition, rare taxa could be crucial mediators of ecological functions of sediment microbial community. Combined, this study provides novel insights into the role of TPs' leachable additives in affecting sediment microbial community and function.

Automated summary

This study investigates the effects of tire particles (TPs) and their leachable additives on the microbial community composition and function in coastal sediments. The results show that environmentally relevant concentrations of TPs can change the microbial community structure, decrease community diversity, and inhibit nutrient cycling processes in sediments. Furthermore, leachable additives not only directly influence community function but also indirectly affect community diversity and function by shifting the community structure.