Soil Metabolome Impacts the Formation of the Eco-corona and Adsorption Processes on Microplastic Surfaces

Abstract

The eco-corona on microplastics refers to the initial layer of biomolecular compounds adsorbed onto the surface after environmental exposure. The formation and composition of the eco-corona in soils have attracted relatively little attention; however, the eco-corona has important implications for the fate and impacts of microplastics and co-occurring chemical contaminants. Here, it was demonstrated that the formation of the eco-corona on polyethylene microplastics exposed to water-extractable soil metabolites (WESMs) occurs quite rapidly via two pathways: direct adsorption of metabolites on microplastics and bridging interactions mediated by macromolecules. The main eco-corona components were common across all soils and microplastics tested and were identified as lipids and lipid-like molecules, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, nucleosides, nucleotides, and their analogues. WESMs were found to reduce the adsorption of co-occurring organic contaminants to microplastics by two pathways: reduced adsorption to the eco-corona surface and co-solubilization in the surrounding water. These impacts from the eco-corona and the soil metabolome should be considered within fate and risk assessments of microplastics and co-occurring contaminants.

Mind over Microplastics: Exploring Microplastic-Induced Gut Disruption and Gut-Brain-Axis Consequences

“…In vitro studies also fail to recapitulate how contact with environmental and gastrointestinal factors modifies microplastic effect. For example, microplastics interact with factors found within the environment and gut lumen, with studies reporting the formation of coronas (e.g., Bio-corona, eco-corona) on the surface of microplastics comprising salts, proteins, lipids, heavy metals, antibiotics, microbes, and other molecules present in the environment and biological fluids [69][70][71][72][73]. The effect of such coronas on gastrointestinal uptake is unknown, but it is hypothesized that this is a mechanism for microplastics to act as 'carriers' of toxins from the environment into the gastrointestinal system [74,75].…”

Nano–eco interactions: a crucial principle for nanotoxicity evaluation

“…The soil metabolome impacts eco-corona formation on microplastics and reduces the adsorption of co-occurring organic contaminants via two pathways: reduced adsorption onto the eco-corona surface and co-solubilization in the surrounding water. 89 Overall, ENM characteristics, the source of biomolecules, and environmental factors together account for the complexity of nano-bio interactions and require comprehensive consideration when assessing eco-corona features.…”

Driving Role of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with Different Sizes and Hydrophobicity in Metabolic Response and Eco-Corona Formation in Sprouts (Vigna radiata)

“…The presence of numerous active substances with abundant functional groups in the natural environment, such as humic-like substances, extracellular polymers (EPS), cellular metabolites, and root exudates, affects the dispersion stability, aggregation, solubility, and particle morphology of ZnO NPs. Once in contact with active components, the functional groups of biomolecules rapidly bind to the NP surface through competitive interactions, resulting in the generation of protein corona or eco-corona .…”