Polylactic acid microplastics facilitate nitrogen removal in freshwater sediments by modulating carbon-nitrogen coupling

Key Points

• Enhanced nitrogen removal occurs with polylactic acid microplastics, improving freshwater sediment health.
• The presence of polylactic acid microplastics leads to significant changes in nitrogen levels and carbon-nitrogen dynamics.
• Analysis indicates that freshwater sediment environments can benefit from the introduction of microplastics for nutrient management.
• This suggests further investigation is needed to understand the full ecological impact of microplastics, particularly in various sediment types.