Volume 49

Impact of Microplastics on the Gene Abundance of ANME-1 Methane Metabolism Xiaonan Wu, Jing-chun Feng, Xiao Chen, Si Zhang, Zhifeng Yang

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs), produced in large quantities due to their affordability and durability, have raised concerns about their environmental impact. In 2021, global plastic production reached 390.7 million tons. Cold seeps harbor significant populations of ANME-1 archaea, which are involved in methane production and oxidation. However, the effect of MPs on the gene abundance related to methane metabolism in ANME-1 remains unclear. To address this gap, the present study conducted laboratory cultivation experiments using sediment and seawater samples from the Haima cold seep. The main findings are: (1) The addition of MPs did not significantly affect the gene abundance of the ANME-1 community (p > 0.05). (2) Methane metabolism gene coverage in sediment was higher than in seawater (p < 0.001). (3) Environmental factors significantly impacted the gene abundance of nitrogen and methane metabolisms in seawater compared to sediment. This work provides a better perspective on the impact of MPs on methane production and oxidation in the cold seep.

Keywords Microplastic, ANME-1, Methane metabolism, Function gene, Environmental factor.