We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Biochar Improves Panax notoginseng Resistance and Saponin Accumulation Under Soil Combined Microplastics and Cadmium Contamination
AI summary Read the abstract
Soil pollution from microplastics and heavy metals like cadmium can contaminate medicinal plants, including Panax notoginseng, a popular herb used in traditional medicine and supplements. This study found that adding pine needle biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive made from burned plant material) to contaminated soil helped the plant grow better, absorb less toxic cadmium, and produce more of its beneficial health compounds. This suggests biochar could be a simple, low-cost way to make herbal products safer and more effective even when grown in polluted soil.
Microplastics and heavy metals are widely present in the soil, and their combined contamination affects plant growth and physiological characteristics. Currently, research on the growth, physiology, and quality of Panax notoginseng under combined microplastic-heavy metal contamination with biochar amendment is limited. Pine needle biochar was used as the experimental material, and the adsorption mechanism of pine needle biochar for microplastics and cadmium (Cd) was explored through adsorption experiments. Pot experiments were conducted under the combined stress of 0.1% (w/w) microplastics and 6 mg·kg−1 Cd (MP–Cd), with exogenous application of 0.5%, 1%, and 3% biochar. The biomass, Cd content, photosynthetic characteristics, antioxidant system (superoxide anion, O2−; hydrogen peroxide, H2O2; malondialdehyde, MDA; superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; and catalase, CAT), saponin synthase activities (dammarenediol-II synthase, DS; squalene epoxidase, SE; glycosyltransferase, GT; and squalene synthase, SQS), and saponin content (notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rg1, and ginsenoside Rb1) of P. notoginseng were analyzed. The results showed that under the 1% biochar application, the Cd2+ adsorption capacity was 1.31 mg·g−1, with a removal rate of 99.91%. Under biochar application, Cd content in all parts of P. notoginseng was significantly decreased, and the magnitude of the decrease increased with increases in the biochar application rate. Under the 3% biochar application, the plant height and biomass were increased by 18.92% and 29.72%, and the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (Gs) were increased by 1.18-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively. Under the 1% biochar application, chlorophyll a and b contents were highest at 0.077 mg·g−1 and 0.052 mg·g−1, respectively, the activity of SE in rhizomes was increased by 20.24%, and the content of notoginsenoside R1 was significantly increased by 1.01-fold. Under the 3% biochar application, the activity of SQS in rhizomes was significantly increased by 10.38%, and the activities of GT and DS in fibrous roots were increased by 20.29% and 14.82%, respectively. The content of ginsenoside Rb1 in rhizomes was significantly increased by 69.64%, while the contents of ginsenoside Rg1 and total saponin in the main root were increased by 1.41-fold and 0.72-fold, respectively. The activities of saponin synthase in various parts of P. notoginseng were GT (717.167 U·L−1) > DS (472.752 IU·L−1) > SE (378.949 U·L−1) > SQS (144.918 U·L−1). In summary, the growth of P. notoginseng and saponin content were increased under combined MP–Cd contamination, with the 3% pine needle biochar application, with Cd content decreased to ensure the safe production of P. notoginseng.
More Papers Like This
Biochar mitigates the interactive effects of microplastics and cadmium pollution on soil characteristics and Pak choi (Brassica rapa chinensis L) growth
AI summary Read the abstract
When plastic pollution and cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) mix together in soil, they make crops more stressed and likely to absorb more contamination than either pollutant alone—bad news since Pak choi is a common leafy vegetable. Researchers found that adding a specific type of charcoal-like soil additive, made from a weed called Solidago canadensis, helped plants grow bigger and cut cadmium buildup in the edible parts by nearly 20%. This suggests a low-cost way to grow safer vegetables in contaminated soil, though real-world farm testing is still needed before this becomes a practical solution.
Turning the enemy into an ally: Phytoremediation potential of Solidago canadensis L. for Cd-contaminated soil as influenced by microplastics and biochar
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested whether a weedy plant (Canada goldenrod) could help clean up soil contaminated with both cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) and microplastics — two pollutants increasingly found together in farmland. They found that adding biochar (a charcoal-like soil additive made from organic waste) boosted the plant's ability to lock away cadmium while also reducing harmful plant compounds, making this combo a promising, low-cost way to detoxify contaminated soil before it enters the food chain. This matters because cadmium and microplastics can build up in crops and eventually in the people who eat them, so finding pract
Unlocking the microplastics amplification effect: How biochar counters heavy metal risks by driving speciation shifts and reversing soil property degradation
AI summary Read the abstract
Microplastics in soil make toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium more available to plants, meaning crops grown in contaminated soil could absorb more of these harmful substances into food. Adding biochar—a charcoal-like material made from wood chips or straw—to soil helped reverse this problem by improving soil health and locking lead into safer forms, cutting its uptake in lettuce by about a quarter. This matters because it points to an affordable way to reduce heavy metal contamination in food crops grown in polluted soil, though the treatment worked less well against cadmium, so it's not a complete fix.
Biochar Offsets Microplastic-Induced Cadmium Mobilization and Plant Accumulation in Contaminated Soils
AI summary Read the abstract
This greenhouse study found that microplastics in soil can increase how much cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) is absorbed by crops. Adding biochar to the soil helped counteract this effect, reducing cadmium uptake by plants — a promising finding for protecting food safety in contaminated farmland.
Remediation of Coastal Wetland Soils Co-Contaminated with Microplastics and Cadmium Using Spartina alterniflora Biochar: Soil Quality, Microbial Communities, and Plant Growth Responses
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested whether Spartina alterniflora-derived biochar applied at 2% could remediate coastal wetland soils co-contaminated with cadmium and polyethylene or polylactic acid microplastics. Biochar significantly improved soil pH, organic matter, and microbial diversity while reducing cadmium bioavailability and plant uptake, making it a promising amendment for combined metal-plastic contaminated soils.
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.