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Multiomics Provides Insights into the Impacts of Microplastics on Heavy Metal(Loid) Accumulation in Lettuce under Simulated Acid Precipitation
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Researchers found that polyethylene microplastics in soil increased cadmium uptake in lettuce shoots by 51% under acid rain conditions, while decreasing arsenic accumulation by 48%. The microplastics altered soil bacteria and disrupted key metabolic pathways, suggesting that the combination of microplastic pollution and acid rain may change how toxic metals move from soil into our food crops.
Microplastics (MPs) and heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) are widespread agricultural contaminants. Acid precipitation can create acidic conditions, changing migration of these pollutants in soil-crop systems. However, the impacts of MPs on HMs uptake by crops under acid rain conditions and the underlying mechanisms that govern these processes remain unclear. We conducted pot experiments to assess MP-mediated effects on HM accumulation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under simulated acid rain. We found that high-dose polyethylene (PE) significantly increased shoot Cd accumulation in lettuce by 51.2% and that the presence of acid rain enhanced this effect, as compared to the single PE treatment. In contrast, coexposure to PE and acid rain decreased the As accumulation by 47.6%. This was primarily due to a decrease in soil pH and a change in HMs availability. In the rhizosphere, PE and acid rain positively influenced the relative abundance of Photobacterium that is the main contributor mediating the Cd/As accumulation. Additionally, acid precipitation enhanced MP stress by regulating metabolic pathways and reducing the biosynthesis of several important metabolites, including signal transduction, amino acid, and carbohydrate. Co-analysis of microbiomics and metagenomics showed the functional genes related to the metabolism of biotin, propanoate, and histidine were altered by MPs and acid precipitation, which may cause increases in the abundance of Photobacterium. These findings underscore complex interactions between MPs and acid rain on HMs transport and availability in soil-crop systems, providing important insights for evaluating their risk in farmland.
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MultiomicsProvides Insights into the Impacts of Microplasticson Heavy Metal(Loid) Accumulation in Lettuce under Simulated AcidPrecipitation
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A multiomics study investigated how microplastics and heavy metal(loid)s interact in agricultural soils under acid precipitation conditions, finding that co-contamination altered metal mobility, plant uptake, and soil microbial function in ways distinct from either pollutant alone.
‘AcidRain’ Amplifies the Impacts ofPolyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on Heavy Metal Toxicity and Transferin Soil-Lettuce Systems
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Using multi-omics approaches, researchers studied how co-exposure to polyvinyl chloride microplastics and simulated acid rain affects heavy metal transfer in soil-crop systems. PVC microplastics combined with acid rain enhanced heavy metal mobilization and uptake by crops, increasing food chain contamination risks compared to either stressor alone.
‘Acid Rain’ Amplifies the Impacts of Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics on Heavy Metal Toxicity and Transfer in Soil-Lettuce Systems
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This study used multi-omics to investigate the combined effects of PVC microplastics and acid rain on heavy metal transfer in soil-crop systems. The combination amplified heavy metal uptake by crops compared to either stressor alone, with molecular analyses revealing disrupted detoxification pathways in plant tissues.
Effects of naturally aged microplastics on arsenic and cadmium accumulation in lettuce: Insights into rhizosphere microecology
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Researchers studied how naturally aged microplastics in soil affect the uptake of arsenic and cadmium by lettuce. At low concentrations, microplastics actually reduced heavy metal absorption and helped plant growth, but at higher concentrations they increased the amount of toxic metals taken up by the lettuce. This means microplastic-contaminated farmland could lead to higher levels of heavy metals in salad greens and other vegetables that people eat.
Polyethylene microplastics increase cadmium uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by altering the soil microenvironment
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This study found that polyethylene microplastics in soil increased the amount of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, that lettuce plants absorbed. The microplastics changed soil chemistry by lowering pH and increasing dissolved organic carbon, which made cadmium more available for plant uptake. This is concerning because it suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil could make crops more contaminated with heavy metals, increasing the health risks for people who eat them.
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