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Life-long impacts of nanoplastics to rice plant (Oryza sativa L.): Decreased grain yield with perturbed metallome and soil microbiome
Summary
Researchers studied how nano-sized PET plastic particles affect rice plants throughout their entire life cycle at concentrations found in real-world environments. They found that nanoplastic exposure reduced grain quality and yield, disrupted mineral nutrient balance, and significantly altered the soil microbial community. The study highlights a potential threat to global food security, since rice is a staple food for billions of people.
Approximately 367 million metric tons of plastic were produced globally in 2020, and it is projected that the global plastic waste will reach around 12,000 metric tons by 2050. Plastic waste can be fragmented into nanoplastics (NPs). Despite their widespread presence in the environment and even within the human body, the long-term risks of NPs to plants, animals, and humans remain poorly understood. This study investigated the life-long impacts of nano polyethylene terephthalate (nPET) on rice (Oryza sativa L.), which is a staple food for a significant portion of the global population. We found that nPET exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations negatively affected rice growth, compromising grain quality and yield. nPET exposure disrupted the metallome, interfered with chlorophyll synthesis, and induced oxidative stress in rice plants. Additionally, nPET exposure influenced soil health, as evidenced by increased soil organic matter (SOM) during the tillering and flowering stages. The soil microbial community were significantly perturbed, with distinct β-diversity observed between nPET-exposed and control soils, including variations in species abundance at the phylum and family levels. Moreover, nPET exposure affected soil microbiota involved in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, with specific species capable of degrading PET being identified. Overall, exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of nPET led to reduced rice grain yield and compromised soil health, characterized by perturbed metallome and soil microbiome. Therefore, effective management of NPs in soils is urgently needed to ensure food safety and soil health.