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Temporal and SizeDependent Uptake of Micro- and NanoPlastics in an Edible Plant
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Scientists grew basil plants in water containing tiny plastic particles (micro- and nanoplastics) to see if the plants would absorb them, and they did, with plastics building up in the roots and, in smaller amounts, moving up into the leaves people might eat. The smallest plastic particles were absorbed and moved through the plant most easily, and the plastics also appeared to carry along other chemicals from the water, hinting that produce grown in plastic-contaminated water or soil could be a route for these particles and hitchhiking chemicals to enter our food.
Abstract Micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) uptake in the edible plant basil (Ocimum basilicu) was investigated using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) MNPs with broad size distributions labeled with dibutyl phthalate (DBP), tantalum(V) ethoxide, or rhodamine 640 perchlorate. Basil plants were grown hydroponically in media containing one of the labeled MNPs types. DBP concentrations in roots and shoots were measured by GC–MS as a proxy for MNP uptake. MNP accumulation increased over time with plant growth, with root concentrations exceeding shoot concentrations by more than 2 orders of magnitude. After 8 weeks, DBP concentrations reached 2321 ± 308 μg/g in roots and 18 ± 8 μg/g in shoots. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed MNP uptake into root tissues using rhodamine-labeled particles. Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) with tantalum-labeled MNPs demonstrated preferential uptake and translocation of smaller particles from the growth solution to roots and from roots to shoots. These findings indicate that nanoplastics are more readily accumulated and transported within plants than larger microplastics. Facilitated transport of solution phase DBP as a result of adsorption to MNPs, accompanied by plant uptake was also observed. Together, these complementary MNP labeling strategies provide a robust approach for investigating MNP uptake dynamics and associated contaminant transport in plants.
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Scientists exposed basil plants to tiny plastic particles (micro- and nanoplastics) and found the plastics could travel up into the plant's stems and leaves, stunting root growth and causing cell damage and stress. This matters because basil is a common food crop, and this research suggests that plastic pollution in soil could work its way into the plants we eat—raising questions about how much of these plastics might end up on our plates, though more research is needed to understand the risks to human health.
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This review summarizes how micro and nanoplastics enter and move through plants, including uptake through roots and leaves via processes like endocytosis and movement through cell walls. Smaller particles penetrate more easily, and factors like surface charge and soil conditions affect how much plastic plants absorb. The findings are important because they show that crops can take up microplastics from contaminated soil, creating a potential pathway for these particles to reach the human diet.
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