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Physiological Responses and Absorption Removal Effects of Three Floating Macrophytes to Polystyrene Nanoplastics Pollution
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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.
Microplastics exert toxic effects on aquatic plants, thereby impacting ecosystem functions and services. Currently, research on the effects of nanoplastics on aquatic plants has mainly focused on algae, while floating macrophytes have received less attention. To investigate the physiological responses and uptake and accumulation effects of floating macrophytes to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs), we exposed Limnobium laevigatum, Pistia stratiotes and Eichhornia crassipes to 0.1, 1 and 10 mg·L−1 of PS-NPs (20/100 nm) for 45 days. The results showed that, in general, with increasing concentration and exposure time, the three plant species exhibited a decrease in chlorophyll content, a decline in root activity, an increase in cell membrane permeability and an up-regulation of antioxidant enzyme activities. Meanwhile, the contents of proline, soluble sugars and soluble proteins showed dynamic changes. These findings indicate that under PS-NPs stress, the plants suffered structural damage and they alleviated oxidative injury and maintained osmotic balance by actively accumulating osmoregulatory substances and up-regulating antioxidant enzyme activities. Furthermore, the effects of uptake and accumulation PS-NPs differed among species. At low concentration levels, Limnobium laevigatum exhibits higher uptake and accumulation potential, while at high concentrations, Pistia stratiotes demonstrates greater uptake and accumulation potential.
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Researchers exposed water hyacinth plants to polystyrene nanoplastics at varying concentrations for 28 days. They found that while the plants removed 61-91% of nanoplastics from the water, the particles reduced plant biomass, impaired photosynthesis, and caused oxidative stress in roots and leaves. The study suggests that floating plants in constructed wetlands can help filter nanoplastics but experience significant physiological trade-offs in the process.
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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.
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This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics interact with terrestrial plants and aquatic macrophytes, finding that many species can absorb or take up plastic particles. Both short-term and long-term plastic exposure triggered stress responses in plants, and since plants are at the base of food chains and a major part of the human diet, there is concern about plastics moving up through the food web. The findings suggest that plastic pollution could potentially affect plant productivity and broader ecosystem function.
Micro- and nanoplastics-induced stress in plants: uptake, physiological disruption, and toxicity mechanisms
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This review paper summarizes existing research on how tiny plastic particles (called microplastics and nanoplastics) are absorbed by plants and damage their health. These plastic particles can build up in plant tissues and disrupt how plants grow and function, which matters because we eat these plants. Since plastic pollution keeps breaking down into smaller pieces that plants absorb, this could eventually affect the safety and quality of our food supply.
The threat of micro/nanoplastic to aquatic plants: current knowledge, gaps, and future perspectives
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This review summarizes what is known about how micro- and nanoplastics affect aquatic plants, including how plants absorb these particles through roots and leaves and transport them internally. Exposure can alter plant growth, photosynthesis, and interactions with other organisms, though effects vary widely depending on plastic type and concentration. The authors highlight major research gaps and call for more studies on real-world conditions rather than controlled lab settings.
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