Polyethylene microplastics increase cadmium uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by altering the soil microenvironment

Little research has focused on the combined pollution of microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals in soil, especially the mechanism of their interaction. We conducted a 45-day microcosm experiment to test the hypothesis that polyethylene (PE) MPs and cadmium (Cd) had a joint toxicity to lettuce fitness. The effects of MPs at different addition ratios on Cd bioavailability and soil properties were also investigated in the microenvironment of three levels of Cd-contaminated soils. The results showed that the 10% MPs had an adverse impact on the plant biomass and significantly decreased soil pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC), but significantly increased soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The presence of MPs increased the soil Cd bioavailability and plant Cd concentrations and accumulations across all three levels of Cd-contaminated soils, which potentially aggregated the combined toxicity. The amounts of the bacterial 16SRNA and the fungal ITSRNA genes displayed a hormesis effect in response to the MP addition ratios while the abundance of Cd resistance genes cadA and czcA increased across all three Cd levels. The regression path analysis indicated that MPs affected shoot Cd concentrations by altering soil properties, which directly and indirectly contributed to the alteration mechanism, while the soil pH, DOC, and Cd bioavailability played core roles. The results suggest that the co-exposure of PE MPs in heavy metal-contaminated soil may therefore increase the toxicity, uptake, accumulation, and bioavailability of heavy metals by altering the properties of the soil microenvironment, which deserves further research. [Display omitted] •PE-MPs increased soil Cd bioavailability, plant Cd concentration and accumulation.•PE-MPs decreased soil pH and CEC but it significantly increased soil DOC.•PE-MPs induce a hormesis effect on soil bacterial and the fungal numbers.•PE-MPs increased the abundance of Cd resistance genes cadA and czcA expression.•Soil pH, DOC and bioavailable Cd play core roles in controlling shoot Cd uptake.