Assessment of the impact of polystyrene microplastics and soil moisture content on the bioavailability and mineralization of diesel fuel by a bacterial community in sandy soil

This dataset was generated to assess the impact of polystyrene (PS) microplastics and soil water availability on diesel fuel biodegradation and the functional structure of soil microbial communities. The study aimed to verify whether microplastics influence xenobiotic bioavailability and degradation kinetics by acting as competitive sorbents in the soil matrix.The data were collected from a 365-day microcosm experiment conducted in sandy soil artificially contaminated with diesel fuel and inoculated with a well-characterized hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial consortium. Treatments varied by PS microplastic concentration (0–10%) and soil moisture levels (PWP, FC, SAT). The dataset includes mineralization rates (CO₂ evolution), physicochemical analysis of PS particles, water activity and functional and taxonomic metagenomic profiles of the microbial community. This data supports the conclusion that soil moisture, rather than microplastic presence, is the dominant factor influencing hydrocarbon degradation in contaminated soils.