20.500.12556/RUL-182847 Microplastics from biodegradable plastic bags alter soil properties and trigger stress response in sunflowers The widespread replacement of conventional plastics with biodegradable alternatives raises questions about their long-term effects in agricultural soils. We investigated the impact of microplastics (MPs) cryo-milled from home-compostable (PBAT_HOME) and industrial-compostable (PBAT_IND) polybutylene adipate terephthalate bags and compared it to the toxicity of MPs from conventional polyethylene (PE) bags. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) were grown in pots with soil spiked with 0 %, 0.05 %, 0.5 %, and 1.0 % (w/w) MPs for eight weeks under a 16/8 day-night photoperiod at room temperature (22/18 °C). Plant responses differed notably between biodegradable and conventional MPs as revealed by two-way hierarchical clustering analysis: both PBAT_HOME and PBAT_IND significantly reduced shoot and root biomass at 0.5 % and 1 %, while PE had no effect. At higher PBAT concentrations, proline levels increased, consistent with activation of drought-like stress response pathways that merit confirmation with additional molecular biomarkers. Soil water holding capacity increased at 1 % of all three MPs, indicating a lower water availability for plants in the MP-spiked soil. pH was slightly increased at 1 % PBAT_HOME and significantly at 1 % PBAT_IND soil. Despite differences in particle size, polymer composition, and starch content, no single factor explained the observed effects, suggesting a combined influence. These results highlight that biodegradable MPs can alter soil properties and trigger physiological responses in plants, emphasizing the need to assess their ecological impacts, especially in agricultural systems where soil health and resilience are critical for crop production. polyethylene polybutylene adipate terephthalate proline biodegradable microplastics sunflower mineral nutrients soil water holding capacity soil enzymes Helianthus annuus polietilen polibutilen adipat tereftalat prolin biorazgradljiva mikroplastika sončnica true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-05-25 16:10:57 2026-05-25 16:10:58 2026-05-26 04:35:54 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 12 str. art. 127618 Vol. 391 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 504.5 0269-7491 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.127618 263572483 1-s2.0-S026974912501992X-main.pdf 1-s2.0-S026974912501992X-main.pdf 1 1B4E1026D9179839564D1187F51756CC 690fd57dc43ce890301cf81561841ce3ea5069494030e83d060f503582a84615 766bd7a8-5843-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=234443 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026974912501992X 0 7019b2ab-5843-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=234442 Biotehniška fakulteta Fakulteta za kemijo in kemijsko tehnologijo 0 0 0