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Transport Dynamics and Physiological Responses of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safety and Environmental Health
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Researchers tracked fluorescently labeled nanoplastics as they traveled through pakchoi (a leafy green vegetable), entering through the roots, moving up through the plant's water-transport system, and accumulating in the leaves. The nanoplastics caused oxidative damage and disrupted plant hormones, demonstrating a clear pathway by which plastic pollution in soil could enter the human food supply through everyday vegetables.
Nanoplastics (NPs) have become a new environmental pollutant that causes serious harm to food safety. They can be absorbed by plants, transported to edible parts, transmitted to the human body along the food chain, and can threaten human health. The research investigated the transport and accumulation pathways of polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) at varying concentrations using red fluorescence labeling. An analysis was conducted on the response of pakchoi to PS-NPs through a combination of transcriptional and physiological experiments. PS-NPs enter the xylem vessel of the root, subsequently carried to the petiole through transpirational tension, and eventually transported from the petiole's xylem vessels to the leaf. PS-NPs induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which led to oxidative damage. In addition, it also disturbed the homeostasis of endogenous hormones and affected the growth of pakchoi. These findings help people understand the adverse effects of NPs on crops and increase attention to the hazards of NPs.
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Scientists exposed four different vegetable crops to fluorescent nanoplastics and tracked where the particles ended up in the plants. Nanoplastics were absorbed through the roots and transported to the stems and leaves of all plants tested, including tomatoes, radishes, and leafy greens. This confirms that food crops can take up nanoplastics from contaminated soil and deliver them to the parts of the plant that people eat.
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