Freeze-thaw cycles and biodegradable microplastics alter the microbial degradation of atrazine in mollisols

Global warming results in more field soil suffering freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs). The environmental risk of microplastics—recognized as a global emerging contaminant—in soils undergoing FTCs remains unclear. In this study, the combined effects of FTCs and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastics on microbial degradation of atrazine in Mollisols were investigated. Freeze-thaw cycles, rather than microplastics, significantly inhibited the biodegradation of atrazine in soil, with average inhibition ratios of 33.69% and 4.99% for FTCs and microplastics, respectively. Thawing temperature was the main factor driving the changes in soil microbial community structures and the degradation of atrazine. The degradable microplastics with an amendment level of 0.2% had different and limited effects on the dissipation of atrazine under different modes of FTCs. Among the four modes, microplastics only showed a trend toward promoting atrazine degradation under high-frequency and high-thawing-temperature FTCs. Across all modes, microplastics altered microbial interactions and ecological niches that included affecting specific bacterial abundance, module keystone species, microbial network complexity, and functional genes in soil. There's no synergistic effect between microplastics and FTCs on the degradation of atrazine in soil within a short-term period. This study provides critical insights into the ecological effects of the new biodegradable mulch film-derived microplastics in soil under FTCs. • The thawing temperature is crucial for atrazine degradation and microbial communities. • High-frequency FTCs significantly enhance the bioavailability of atrazine. • Microplastics reshape the soil microbial network and key species. • Microplastics promote the degradation trend of atrazine under Mode 2 FTCs.