We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Can Rhizosphere Effects Mitigate the Threat from Nanoplastics and Plastic Additives to Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)?
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated whether the rhizosphere, the zone of soil around plant roots, can mitigate the combined threats of nanoplastics and the plastic additive DEHP to tomato plants. The study found that while the rhizosphere provided some protective effects against soil contamination, the coexistence of nanoplastics and DEHP actually increased risks to food safety compared to DEHP alone, indicating that plastic pollution compounds the threat from plastic additives.
Nanoplastics (NPs) and plastic additives inevitably coexist to threaten soil health and plant growth. Herein, in a root-box system isolating the rhizosphere and bulk soils, we explored the combined effects of NPs and a kind of typical plastic additive di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) on soil health via combining the evidence from in situ zymography, the microbiome, and metabolism. The plastic additive dominated the risks of plastic pollution to plants, and the coexistence of NPs did not mitigate the DEHP threat to microorganisms and increased that to food safety. Compared to single DEHP, combined NPs and DEHP inhibited β-glucosidase activity to limit soil organic carbon (C) decomposition and stimulated acid phosphatase activity to increase P uptake by tomato roots and enriched the relative abundance of C-fixed bacteria and P-dissolution bacteria, while inhibiting that of chemical heterotrophic bacteria in rhizosphere soils, which further stimulated the synthesis and metabolism of phospholipid and fatty acid and triphosphate cycle and increased nutrients bioavailability for plants. Therefore, rhizosphere effects optimized the root nutrient acquisition strategy, microbial community structure, and their metabolic processes to reduce the threat from NPs and plastic additives to plants. This study provides new insights for environmental risk control and agricultural management under plastic pollution.
More Papers Like This
Can RhizosphereEffects Mitigate the Threat from Nanoplasticsand Plastic Additives to Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)?
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used a root-box system to examine how nanoplastics and the plasticizer DEHP interact in the rhizosphere of tomato plants, finding that DEHP dominated the plastic pollution risk to plants and that nanoplastic co-exposure did not mitigate DEHP toxicity to soil microorganisms but increased it for food safety.
Effects of nanoplastics and compound pollutants containing nanoplastics on plants, microorganisms and rhizosphere systems: A review
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how nanoplastics, the tiniest plastic particles, affect plants, soil microorganisms, and the root zone where they interact. Nanoplastics can disrupt photosynthesis, alter gene activity, and reduce microbial diversity, and their harmful effects get worse when they combine with heavy metals or other pollutants. Since plant roots are a key pathway for nanoplastics to enter the food chain, these effects could ultimately impact the safety and nutritional quality of the food we eat.
Combined interactions and ecotoxicological effects of micro/nanoplastics and organic pollutants in soil–plant systems: a critical overview
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics interact with organic pollutants in soil-plant systems. The study highlights that these plastic particles can act synergistically with organic pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems, posing combined threats to soil and plant health that warrant further investigation.
Microplastics reshape rhizosphere microbial communities and nutrient cycling in tomato agroecosystems
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from pollution are seeping into farm soil and disrupting the natural microbes that help tomato plants absorb nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. This research found that different types of plastic (like those from packaging and pipes) throw off soil chemistry and bacterial activity in ways that could affect how healthy and nutrient-rich our food crops grow. While this study looked at soil, not food safety directly, it adds to growing evidence that microplastic pollution may be quietly affecting the food system from the ground up.
Combined toxicity and ecological impacts of soil microplastics and heavy metals in rhizosphere microenvironments: a comprehensive review
AI summary Read the abstract
This systematic review of 109 studies found that co-contamination of rhizosphere soils with microplastics and heavy metals produces non-linear, synergistic effects on soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activity, microbial communities, and plant physiology. The combined toxicity is more persistent and damaging than either contaminant alone, underscoring the need for context-specific risk assessments in agricultural and ecosystem management.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.