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Combined effects of micro/nanoplastics and ZnO nanoparticles on lactuca sativa seedlings under varied lighting
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Researchers studied how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics interact with zinc oxide nanoparticles to affect lettuce seed germination and early growth under different lighting conditions. They found that when the plastics were present alongside zinc oxide, the combined toxic effects were actually reduced compared to exposure to either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can alter how other engineered nanoparticles behave in agricultural settings, with lighting conditions playing an additional role.
Micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) can serve as vectors for engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), thereby eliciting mixture toxicological responses in target species. However, our understanding of the combined environmental impacts of lighting conditions and co-exposure to MNPs and ENPs on crop plants remains limited. Herein, we investigated the individual and joint effects of polystyrene microplastics (PMs; 1 μm) or nanoplastics (PNs; 50-100 nm) and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on seed germination and early seedling growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under the dark condition or the light-dark cycle condition. The results showed that the joint toxic effects of PMs/PNs and ZnO NPs on seed germination were antagonistic, regardless of lighting conditions. Furthermore, the coexistence of PMs/PNs attenuated the inhibitory effect of ZnO NPs on the total photosynthetic pigment content in seedling shoots. Under the light-dark cycle condition, the translocation factor values of zinc from seedling roots to shoots when exposed to PMs or PNs with ZnO NPs exceeded 1, indicating that zinc in the form of ZnO NPs easily migrated from seedling roots to shoots. When ZnO NPs were combined with either PMs or PNs under varying light conditions, a consistent alleviation of oxidative stress was observed in the seedlings compared to individual particle treatments. This finding may represent a key cellular mechanism underlying the antagonistic effects between PMs/PNs and ZnO NPs. Additionally, the expression of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase gene in seedlings was differentially modulated in response to both individual and combined exposures to PMs/PNs and ZnO NPs. Collectively, this study provides comprehensive insights into the cellular and molecular responses of agricultural crops under complex environmental conditions.
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Researchers examined how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics combined with graphene oxide affect lettuce seed germination and seedling growth. The combinations produced both harmful and protective effects depending on the specific measure being assessed, with oxidative stress being the primary mechanism of damage in roots and shoots. The study highlights the complexity of predicting how multiple nanomaterial pollutants interact in agricultural soils.
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Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with zinc heavy metal contamination in lentil seed germination experiments. Unexpectedly, they found that the presence of microplastics actually reduced zinc toxicity to the plants, likely because the microplastics bound to zinc ions in solution and limited plant uptake. The study suggests that microplastic-metal interactions in agricultural soils may be more complex than simple additive toxicity.
Different effects and mechanisms of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on the uptake of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) by lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect the uptake of heavy metals by lettuce grown in contaminated soil. They found that nanoplastics increased the accumulation of copper and zinc in lettuce leaves, while microplastics had the opposite effect for some metals. The study reveals that plastic particle size plays a critical role in determining whether microplastics worsen or reduce heavy metal contamination in food crops.
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