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In situ and ex situ assessment of EPS-microplastics interactions: effects on Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) seed germination
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Tiny plastic bits from pollution are building up in farm soil, and this study found they can stunt tomato seed growth, especially plastic from common packaging (polyethylene). The good news: natural gunk from soil bacteria (especially in soil treated with sewage sludge) seemed to buffer plants against this plastic damage, hinting that soil health could help protect our food crops from microplastic contamination. This matters because microplastics in soil could eventually make their way into the food we eat, so finding natural ways to reduce their harm to crops is a promising step for food safety.
This work explores the functional role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in modulating microplastic (MP) toxicity during seed germination, with a focus on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) as a model crop. EPS was used at three concentrations (10, 50, and 100 µg/mL) under both In-situ and Ex-situ conditions in the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS), each introduced at 3% of EPS weight. To simulate environmental exposure, MPs were incubated for 45 days in agricultural soil (AS) and sludge-amended agricultural soil (SAS), after which EPS was extracted and subsequently tested for its interaction with MPs. Comparative analyses of AS and SAS derived EPS were conducted to evaluate their influence on seed germination and early seedling development. Seed germination percentage, root and shoot elongation, biomass accumulation (wet and dry weight), seedling vigour indices (SVI I and II), and chlorophyll content were quantified to assess MP-induced phytotoxicity. Ex-situ EPS-MP mixtures consistently suppressed seedling growth as compared to In-situ treatments, with marked reductions in elongation, biomass, and chlorophyll synthesis. Among the three polymers, PE shows the strongest inhibitory effects across both soil systems, highlighting its pronounced persistence and toxicity potential. Notably, EPS extracted from SAS mitigated these adverse outcomes, enhancing germination efficiency and growth indices relative to AS derived EPS. This suggests that sludge-origin EPS, enriched in organic matter and nutrient fractions, may act as a compensatory nutrient that offsets MP induced stress. These findings underscore the dual role of EPS as both a mediator of MP toxicity and a potential nutritional buffer, with implications for soil resilience and sustainable crop establishment in MPs contaminated agroecosystems.
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