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Nanoscale magnesium oxide reduces the accumulation and toxicity of micro/nanoplastics by accelerating root lignification and alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress
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In a greenhouse soil experiment, tomato plants grown with five types of microplastics absorbed less plastic when nanoscale magnesium oxide was added to the soil. Plants treated this way showed increased lignin (a woody plant compound) in their roots and changes in genes linked to cell stress, which were associated with reduced plastic uptake.
The risk to agricultural production and human health from micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) exposure cannot be ignored, making it imperative to find effective mitigation strategies. Nanoscale magnesium oxide (MgO·NP) has been widely demonstrated to enhance plant stress resistance by activating defense pathways. However, its ability to mitigate MNPs stress remains unexplored. A greenhouse soil culture experiment was conducted by co-adding five predominant soil MNPs (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) at 1 g·kg⁻¹ each. After 30 days, pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analysis of tomato leaves revealed a distinct absorption profile for MNPs: PET > PE > PS > PP > PVC. Soil amendment with 40 mg·kg⁻¹ MgO·NP significantly inhibited MNPs accumulation in tomatoes, reducing PET, PS, and PVC by 57.44%, 76.14%, and 31.82%, respectively. Multi-omics analyses revealed that MgO·NP upregulates phenylpropanoid biosynthesis genes (PAL, 4CL, CCR). This upregulation elevated lignin content by 26.7% and stimulated root lignification, a response that may be linked to the observed reduction in apoplastic uptake and transport of MNPs. Furthermore, MgO·NP was associated with changes in ERAD‑related gene expression and may have contributed to mitigating protein misfolding and organelle stress under MNPs exposure. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that exogenous application of 40 mg·kg⁻¹ MgO·NP significantly inhibits the accumulation and mitigates the toxicity of MNPs in tomato plants. These findings may offer a feasible strategy for alleviating the adverse impacts of MNPs contamination on agricultural production.
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This review examines how micro and nanoplastics are taken up by plants, covering their toxic effects on growth and gene expression as well as potential detoxification strategies. Smaller nanoplastics can penetrate plant cell walls and accumulate in tissues, causing oxidative stress and genetic damage. The findings are important for human health because contaminated crops could transfer microplastics directly into the food supply.
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Scientists found that different varieties of tomato plants absorb different amounts of microplastics through their roots, one variety took up about 19% more plastic than another. The key difference seems to be how strongly a plant's root cells build protective barriers (made of natural materials like cellulose and lignin) that block plastic particles from entering. This is promising news: it suggests plant breeders could one day develop crop varieties that naturally absorb less plastic, potentially reducing how much microplastic ends up in our food supply.
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Researchers exposed Arabidopsis plants to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles penetrate root tissues and trigger a concentration-dependent buildup of lignin — the structural polymer that stiffens plant cell walls — as a defensive stress response, accompanied by increased oxidative damage markers and upregulation of lignin-biosynthesis genes.
Polyethylene nanoplastics affected morphological, physiological, and molecular indices in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
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Polyethylene nanoplastics in soil caused significant damage to tomato plants, including reduced growth, delayed flowering, lower fruit quality, and changes in DNA methylation patterns. Even at low concentrations, the nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress and altered gene expression in the plants. These findings raise concerns about food safety because nanoplastic contamination in farm soil could reduce both the yield and nutritional quality of tomatoes and potentially other food crops.
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Tomato plants grown with polystyrene microplastics absorbed the particles through their roots and moved them into stems and leaves, with smaller particles and higher amounts building up more. Exposure reduced root growth, plant height and weight, increased oxidative stress markers, and altered gene activity and chemical processes linked to plant hormones and cell membranes.
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