Selective enrichment of microbial community and functions in the plastisphere under vanadium pressures from a tailing pond ecosystem

Abstract

Vanadium mining leads to increasing environmental release of vanadium, posing ecological and health risks. are a recognized source of microplastic pollution, making tailings ponds emerging hotspots for microplastic and vanadium coexistence. Vanadium adsorption alters the physicochemical properties of microplastic surfaces, affecting plastisphere microbiome composition and function. It remains unclear how the plastisphere microbiome responds to vanadium stress and the resulting ecological risks. This study aims to investigate the selective enrichment of microbial communities and functions within the plastisphere of tailings pond adjacent to a large-scale vanadium mine. The results reveal plastisphere assemblages with lower diversity but higher functional specialization than surrounding matrices, enriched in vanadium resistant and plastic degrading taxa (Streptomyces, Hydrogenophaga and Delftia). Deterministic processes dominated plastisphere community assembly, driven by environmental filtering from vanadium and co-occurring metals. Functional profiling indicated enhanced aromatic compound degradation and potential pathogenicity genes in the plastisphere, whereas the sediment plastisphere exhibited reduced nitrogen cycling functions, suggesting altered biogeochemical processes and ecological risks. Our findings underscore the scientific value of the plastisphere as a unique ecological niche that reshapes microbial functions, highlighting its critical role in assessing the ecological risks of mining pollution and informing targeted bioremediation strategies.

Keywords: Microbial community; Microplastic; Plastisphere; Tailings pond ecosystem; Vanadium contamination.