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Synergism or Antagonism in Toxicity Induced by Co-Exposure to Polyamide Microplastics and Cadmium Is Dose-Dependent in the Submerged Macrophyte Vallisneria natans
Summary
Scientists studying an aquatic plant found that when microplastics and cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) pollute water together, the combo can be either more harmful or less harmful than expected—it depends on how much cadmium is present. At low cadmium levels, microplastics made the toxic effects worse by making cadmium easier for plants to absorb, while at high cadmium levels, microplastics actually soaked up some of the cadmium and reduced harm. This matters because it shows pollution risks aren't simple math—two contaminants together can behave unpredictably, which is important for understanding water contamination and food-chain safety as micro
The contamination of microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals (HMs) in water has caused widespread concern, while their effects on submerged macrophytes have rarely been reported. Experiments were carried out to investigate the toxic effects of polyamide microplastics (PAMPs; 0.1%, 0.3%, and 1.0% w/w) and cadmium (Cd; 0.3 and 1.0 mg/L), alone or in combination, on the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria natans (V. natans). The results showed that PAMPs significantly reduced Cd accumulation in leaves (decrease of 2.38%~26.12%) but elevated Cd accumulation in roots. Both Cd exposure and high PAMP exposure alone inhibited plant growth. The combined stress showed concentration-dependent effects: the low Cd concentration (0.3 mg/L) and PAMPs synergistically exacerbated toxicity (synergism, MDR > 1.3), as PAMPs disrupted the sediment structure and enhanced the bioavailability of Cd, whereas when V. natans was co-exposed to the high Cd concentration (1.0 mg/L) and PAMPs, the PAMPs blunted the toxicity of Cd by efficiently adsorbing it (antagonism, MDR < 0.7). Both individual and combined exposures decreased chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b synthesis and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) content in plant tissues. However, exposure to low and medium concentrations of MPs (0.1% and 0.3% w/w) alone had positive effects on plant growth and photosynthesis systems, while combined exposures exacerbated the damaging effects of PAMPs on the antioxidant defense system in V. natans. These results allow for a better understanding of the synergistic effect of co-contamination of microplastics and heavy metals in freshwater ecosystems, and highlight the necessity of ecological risk assessment during phytoremediation using submerged macrophytes.