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Photoaging-driven amplification of polystyrene microplastic toxicity in wheat: physiological and multi-omics insights
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This study tested how sunlight-aged versus fresh polystyrene microplastics affect wheat plants. Sunlight-aged microplastics caused greater reductions in plant height, biomass and chlorophyll, raised stress markers, and altered nutrient uptake and gene activity more than fresh microplastics did.
Microplastics (MPs) in agroecosystems displayed phytotoxicity; however, the differential effects of pristine and photoaged MPs remain unclear. Herein, we examined the effects and mechanisms of polystyrene (PS) MPs on wheat ( Triticum aestivum L .) based on pristine and photoaged treatments. The results showed that photoaging significantly amplified the toxicity of PSMPs. Compared to pristine PS, photoaged PS reduced plant height by −20.4% and −30.6% under the T25 and T100 mg/L treatments, respectively, and biomass by −26.4% and −35.8%, with lowering chlorophyll content and elevating oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and reactive oxygen species. Photoaged PS underwent surface modifications, including increased surface roughness, oxidation (1.53-fold increase), and negative charge. These changes promoted their adsorption capacity toward nutrient ions, leading to micronutrient depletion in the root zone and reduced nutrient accumulation in plant tissues. Integrated metabolomic-transcriptomic analyses revealed tissue - specific pathway enrichment underlying this difference in toxicity. Photoaged PS primarily affected carbohydrate/amino acid metabolism (starch and sucrose metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism) in shoots and signaling/lipid metabolism (glutamatergic synapse, linoleic acid metabolism) in roots. These integrated analyses elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the contrasting responses. Overall, photoaging increased PSMPs phytotoxicity by enhancing surface oxidation, disrupting nutrient uptake, and inducing tissue-specific molecular reprogramming.
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Photoaging Exacerbates Nanoplastic Phytotoxicity and Differentially Activates Defense Mechanisms in Wild versus Cultivated Maize
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Researchers compared the phytotoxicity of pristine versus photoaged polystyrene nanoplastics in cultivated maize and its wild progenitor, finding that photoaging greatly amplified toxicity and that wild maize activated stronger defense responses than cultivated varieties.
Phytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Growth Morphology, Photosynthesis, Gaseous Exchange and Oxidative Stress of Wheat Vary with Concentration and Shape
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Researchers conducted pot experiments to assess how polystyrene microplastics in different shapes and concentrations affect wheat growth, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress. They found that powder-shaped microplastics caused the most severe reductions in plant height, biomass, and chlorophyll content, especially at higher concentrations. The study suggests that both the shape and concentration of microplastics in soil play important roles in determining their phytotoxic effects on crop plants.
Physiological Toxicity and Antioxidant Mechanism of Photoaging Microplastics on Pisum sativum L. Seedlings
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Researchers tested the toxicity of pristine and photoaged microplastics made of four different polymers (PS, PA, PE, PET) on pea seedlings. The study found that photoaged microplastics caused more harm to root growth than pristine ones, generated reactive oxygen species that worsened oxidative stress, and disrupted nutrient transport in plant tissues. These findings suggest that environmental weathering of microplastics increases their toxicity to plants through enhanced oxidative damage.
[Effects of Microplastics on the Growth, Physiology, and Biochemical Characteristics of Wheat (Triticum aestivum)].
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Wheat seedlings were grown in soils spiked with 100 nm and 5 μm polystyrene microplastics, with high concentrations (200 mg/L) significantly inhibiting root and stem elongation, reducing chlorophyll, and altering antioxidant enzyme activity, with smaller nanoplastics showing greater toxicity. The findings demonstrate that microplastic size influences phytotoxicity in a major agricultural crop.
Photoaging ExacerbatesNanoplastic Phytotoxicity andDifferentially Activates Defense Mechanisms in Wild versus CultivatedMaize
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Researchers compared how photoaged polystyrene nanoplastics affect cultivated maize and its wild ancestor, finding that photoaging amplified toxicity, caused greater oxidative damage, and revealed that cultivated maize was more vulnerable than its wild progenitor.
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