Effects of silver sulfide nanomaterials on mycorrhizal colonization of tomato plants and soil microbial communities in biosolid-amended soil

We investigated effects of Ag₂S engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated Ag ENMs (PVP-Ag), and Ag⁺ on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), their colonization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and overall microbial community structure in biosolids-amended soil. Concentration-dependent uptake was measured in all treatments. Plants exposed to 100 mg kg⁻¹ PVP-Ag ENMs and 100 mg kg⁻¹ Ag⁺ exhibited reduced biomass and greatly reduced mycorrhizal colonization. Bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi were inhibited by all treatment classes, with the largest reductions measured in 100 mg kg⁻¹ PVP-Ag ENMs and 100 mg kg⁻¹ Ag⁺. Overall, Ag₂S ENMs were less toxic to plants, less disruptive to plant-mycorrhizal symbiosis, and less inhibitory to the soil microbial community than PVP-Ag ENMs or Ag⁺. However, significant effects were observed at 1 mg kg⁻¹ Ag₂S ENMs, suggesting that the potential exists for microbial communities and the ecosystem services they provide to be disrupted by environmentally relevant concentrations of Ag₂S ENMs. - Highlights: • PVP-Ag and Ag⁺ inhibited AMF colonization more readily than Ag₂S ENMs. • Impact of PVP-Ag ENMs and Ag⁺ on microbial communities larger than for Ag₂S ENMs. • Significant changes in microbial communities in response to Ag₂S ENMs at 1 mg kg⁻¹. - Although Ag₂S ENMs are less toxic to soil microorganisms than pristine nanomaterials or ions, some effects are observed on soil microbial communities at relevant concentrations.