Metagenomic and metabolomic insight into microplastic-derived inhibition of tetracycline degradation in sediments

Chu Peng; Mengxi Li; Jiao Wang; Junjie Zhang; Xianhua Liu; Lei Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139045

Metagenomic and metabolomic insight into microplastic-derived inhibition of tetracycline degradation in sediments

J Hazard Mater. 2025 Jun 23:495:139045. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139045. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chu Peng¹, Mengxi Li¹, Jiao Wang², Junjie Zhang³, Xianhua Liu⁴, Lei Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China; School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China. Electronic address: jiaowangcassiel@tju.edu.cn.
³ MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PLEN), University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, Frederiksberg DK-1871, Denmark.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.

PMID: 40580736
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139045

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) have been extensively reported to affect organic compound metabolism and nutrient cycling in the ecosystem, particularly in aquatic sediments. However, the specific microbial pathways and underlying mechanisms governing these impacts remain incompletely understood. Herein, this study integrates field investigations and simulation experiments to demonstrate the inhibitory effects of MP contamination on tetracycline (TC) biodegradation in sediments. Our findings reveal three distinct TC biotransformation pathways in sediments, with monooxygenase-mediated hydroxylation emerging as the predominant pathway. Comparative analysis revealed significant reductions in monooxygenase abundance (56.6 %), host bacterial populations (38.5 %), and TC biodegradation efficiency (23.8 %) in MP-amended sediments compared with the control after 28 days (p < 0.05). MPs reduce microbial metabolic activity and cooperative relationships among microorganisms, which inhibit cooperative metabolism of complex organic compounds (including tetracycline). Ultimately, MPs occupy interstitial spaces within sediment matrices, thereby altering redox conditions and promoting microbial succession toward taxa less efficient in TC metabolism. Moreover, the plastisphere exhibits significantly reduced metabolic capacity for TC transformation compared with inorganic mineral-associated biofilms, thereby impeding TC biotransformation within sediments. This finding further implies that continuous MP accumulation may exacerbate interference with biogeochemical cycles.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Biotransformation; Microbial succession; Microplastics; Monooxygenase.