Di-n-butyl phthalate negatively affects humic acid conversion and microbial enzymatic dynamics during composting

To understand the effects of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) on humic acid (HA) conversion, enzymatic and specific metabolic dynamics during composting under di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) stress were evaluated for the first time. The results indicated that HA conversion was mainly related to bacteria rather than fungi, with positive associations with Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Gemmatimonadota (all P < 0.05), and negative associations with Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota (all P < 0.05), while DBP stress retarded HA formation by altering the core microbes related to HA formation and their metabolic functions. Moreover, typical hydrolase and oxidoreductase activities were altered under DBP stress, proteases and cellulases were hindered, and peroxidases as well as polyphenol oxidases were promoted during composting. Overall, our data shows that DBP stress can retard HA formation and compost maturation by interfering with microbial activity. This study provides potentially useful information for the degradation and reuse of PAE-contaminated waste.