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Combined contamination of nanoplastics and diethyl phthalate compromises nutritional quality and triggers metabolic reprogramming in rye: Implications for food safety
Summary
When tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) and a common plastic-softening chemical (DEP) contaminate soil together, they don't just harm crops separately — they team up to make things worse, with the chemical actually helping the plastic particles sneak deeper into the plant. In this study, rye grown with both pollutants had less healthy fat, more indigestible fiber, and disrupted nutrient and mineral levels, making it lower quality as food or animal feed. Since plastic pollution is now widespread in farm soils, this research is an early warning that our food crops could be losing nutritional value in ways we haven't been tracking
The residues and migration of nanoplastics (NPs) and plasticizers in agricultural products are critical issues in the field of food safety. This study focused on rye to systematically investigate the effects of individual and combined contamination by polystyrene NPs and diethyl phthalate (DEP) on its nutritional quality, metabolic profiles, and pollutant accumulation. The results showed that combined contamination significantly altered the nutritional composition of rye: crude fat content decreased by 34.67% (p < 0.05), while neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber increased by 7.20% (p < 0.05) and 8.63% (p < 0.05), respectively; crude protein (+6.57%) and nitrogen-free extract (+7.33%, p < 0.05) also changed significantly, ultimately leading to a decline in relative feeding value (p < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis revealed that the combined treatment induced metabolic reprogramming, with significant accumulation of key metabolites in the phenylpropanoid pathway (e.g., sinapic acid, coumarin) and osmoregulatory substances (e.g., L-proline, ergothioneine), alongside disturbances in lipid and amino acid metabolism. Elemental analysis indicated that the pollutants disrupted ion homeostasis, such as inhibited absorption of magnesium and phosphorus, and increased levels of sodium and calcium. Fluorescence tracing confirmed that DEP promotes the migration and accumulation of NPs within rye roots and vascular tissues. At the molecular level, DEP exhibited high-affinity binding to cellulose synthase, providing a mechanistic explanation for the changes in fiber components. From the perspectives of nutritional quality, metabolic response, and pollutant accumulation, this study reveals the food safety risks posed by combined contamination of NPs and plasticizers in crops, offering scientific insights for the safe production of agricultural products and pollution prevention and control.