Nature Communications (May 2020)

Microplastics affect sedimentary microbial communities and nitrogen cycling

  • Meredith E. Seeley,
  • Bongkeun Song,
  • Renia Passie,
  • Robert C. Hale

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16235-3
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Plastic pollution has infiltrated every ecosystem, but few studies have quantified the biogeochemical or ecological effects of plastic. Here the authors show that microplastics in ocean sediment can significantly alter microbial community structure and nitrogen cycling.