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The impact of Microplastic on freshwater macrophytes
AI summary
This French PhD thesis quantified microplastic release during the use phase of consumer products, with particular focus on salt shakers and other food contact items. The study found that use-phase wear and abrasion of plastic surfaces generated measurable microplastic particles that could contaminate food, representing a direct human dietary exposure route.
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Microplastics and freshwater microalgae: what do we know so far?
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A review of 20 studies found that microplastics inhibit freshwater microalgae growth, reduce photosynthetic activity, alter pigment profiles, and induce oxidative stress, with effects varying by plastic shape, size, concentration, and exposure duration. Because microalgae form the base of aquatic food webs, microplastic-driven disruption of algal communities could have cascading effects on freshwater ecosystem health.
Microplastics in Freshwater Environments: Sources, Behaviour, and Ecotoxicity
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Researchers reviewed sources, transport behavior, and ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics in freshwater ecosystems, finding that rivers and lakes are both pathways and sinks for plastic particles and that biological effects on freshwater organisms remain poorly characterized compared to marine systems.
Root Adsorption of Microplastic Particles Affects the Submerged Freshwater Macrophyte Egeria densa
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Exposure to polystyrene microspheres caused oxidative stress and disrupted antioxidant responses in the freshwater macrophyte Egeria densa at even the lowest tested concentration (0.05 mg/L), with microplastics adsorbing to roots rather than entering plant tissues. These findings indicate that aquatic plants serving as the base of freshwater food webs are vulnerable to microplastic contamination at environmentally relevant concentrations.
Microplastics in Plant Species: Impacts and Ecological Perspectives
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This analysis examined how microplastics affect plant physiology in terrestrial ecosystems, including uptake through roots, translocation into edible tissues, disruption of photosynthesis, and alteration of soil microbial communities that plants depend on. Because many staple crops can absorb and accumulate microplastics from contaminated soil and irrigation water, agricultural microplastic pollution translates directly into human dietary exposure through fruits, vegetables, and grains.
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.