We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Phytotoxic Mechanisms of Polystyrene Microplastics in Myriophyllum spicatum Under Saline Conditions: Insights from Physiology, Transcriptomics, and Phyllosphere Microbiota
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that microplastic pollution affects underwater plants differently depending on how much is present: small amounts actually helped a water plant grow better, while larger amounts damaged its cells and hurt its ability to filter nutrients from water. This matters because these plants play a key role in keeping lakes, rivers, and coastal waters clean — and as microplastic pollution increases in salty and brackish waters worldwide, this research suggests it could weaken the natural water-filtering systems we rely on for healthy aquatic ecosystems and, ultimately, cleaner water supplies.
Microplastics are emerging contaminants widely present in aquatic environments, yet their toxic effects on submerged plants and associated microbial communities under saline conditions remain unclear. In this study, Myriophyllum spicatum was exposed to polystyrene (PS) microplastics (0, 10, 30, 60, and 100 mg·L−1) under 0.5% salinity. We investigated plant growth, physiological responses, nitrogen and phosphorus removal, transcriptomic changes, and phyllosphere microbial communities. Results showed a concentration-dependent response, with low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. At 30 mg·L−1, PS promoted growth, maintained membrane integrity and photosynthetic pigment levels, and enhanced nutrient removal. In contrast, 100 mg·L−1 PS caused membrane damage, photosynthetic inhibition, oxidative stress, and reduced nutrient uptake, indicating clear toxic effects. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that high PS significantly affected genes related to photosynthesis, antioxidant defense, energy metabolism, and nutrient transport. Microplastics promoted biofilm formation on leaf surfaces but did not significantly alter overall microbial community structure or diversity, instead shifting functionally related taxa associated with plant oxidative responses and nutrient removal. These findings demonstrate that PS microplastics exert phytotoxic effects under saline conditions by disrupting physiological processes and are associated with shifts in functional microbial groups, with potential implications for aquatic ecosystem health.
More Papers Like This
[Effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on the growth, physiology, and biochemical characteristics of Hydrilla verticillata].
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed an aquatic plant to increasing concentrations of polystyrene microplastics and found that high doses stunted plant height, reduced chlorophyll, and impaired photosynthesis. Submerged aquatic plants form the base of freshwater food webs, and their disruption by microplastic pollution could cascade through aquatic ecosystems.
Size- and charge-dependent phytotoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to Vallisneria natans
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) harm underwater plants, and the smallest, positively-charged particles caused the most damage—stunting growth, disrupting photosynthesis, and even lodging inside plant roots. This matters because these plants are a key part of freshwater ecosystems, and their decline could ripple through waterways that eventually connect to our drinking water and food supply, adding to growing evidence that plastic pollution affects life at every level, from plants to potentially humans.
Microplastics enhance the invasion of exotic submerged macrophytes by mediating plant functional traits, sediment properties, and microbial communities
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that polystyrene microplastics in water helped invasive aquatic plants grow stronger and spread more effectively, while native plants were not similarly boosted. The microplastics changed soil chemistry and disrupted bacterial communities in ways that specifically favored the invasive species. This research shows that microplastic pollution could accelerate the spread of invasive plants in lakes and rivers, further threatening aquatic ecosystem health.
Physiological Responses and Absorption Removal Effects of Three Floating Macrophytes to Polystyrene Nanoplastics Pollution
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) harm floating water plants, damaging their cells and forcing them to work harder to survive. Some plant species also absorbed and stored more plastic than others. This matters because these plants grow in waterways that can feed into our water supply, so understanding how they interact with plastic pollution helps researchers figure out how nanoplastics move through ecosystems, and potentially toward us.
Unraveling the toxic mechanisms of microplastics in aquatic ecosystem: A case study on Vallisneria natans and Myriophyllum verticillatum
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed two submerged aquatic plant species (Vallisneria natans and Myriophyllum verticillatum) to PVC, polystyrene, and polyethylene microplastics at three concentrations, finding that all three types significantly inhibited photosynthesis and growth and triggered oxidative stress, with effects varying by plastic type and plant species.
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.