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Microplastics impacts the toxicity of antibiotics on Pinellia ternata: An exploration of their effects on photosynthesis, oxidative stress homeostasis, secondary metabolism, the AsA-GSH cycle, and metabolomics

Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 2025 8 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 63 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Aoyue Shi, Aoyue Shi, Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Chengwei Yuan, Chengwei Yuan, Lulu Zhang, Shuhan Wang, Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Yanru Zhou, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Xiaoqin Yao Aoyue Shi, Aoyue Shi, Xiaoqin Yao Lulu Zhang, Lulu Zhang, Xuze Liu, Yanru Zhou, Aoyue Shi, Aoyue Shi, Xiaoqin Yao Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Xiaoqin Yao Shuhan Wang, Shuhan Wang, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Xiaoqin Yao Xiaoqin Yao Xiaoqin Yao Jianzhou Chu, Xiaoqin Yao Xiaoqin Yao Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Xuze Liu, Xuze Liu, Xiaoqin Yao Xiaoqin Yao Xiaoqin Yao Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Jianzhou Chu, Xiaoqin Yao

Summary

This study found that polyethylene microplastics changed how the medicinal plant Pinellia ternata responds to antibiotic contamination in soil. At low concentrations, microplastics slightly reduced the toxicity of the antibiotic, but at higher levels they worsened the damage to plant photosynthesis, antioxidant systems, and metabolic pathways. The findings show that microplastics can alter how other pollutants affect crop plants, making the real-world impacts of soil contamination harder to predict.

Polymers

Antibiotics and microplastics (MPs) are two new types of contaminants that are widely existent in agricultural systems. MPs could act as carriers of antibiotics, and affect the bioavailability and degradation of antibiotics, causing a combined effect on plant growth. The aim of the present experiment was to explore the effects of the treatments of oxytetracycline (OTC, 100 mg kg) alone and in combination with polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs, 0.1 %, 1 %, 3 %) on P. ternata phenotypic parameters, photosynthetic system, reactive oxygen species (ROS), secondary metabolism, ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, and metabolomics. Results demonstrated that exposure to OTC alone reduced P. ternata fresh weight by causing oxidative damage, reducing photosynthetic pigment and secondary metabolite contents. OTC + MP0.1 group alleviated OTC stress to P. ternata by increasing photosynthetic pigment contents and antioxidant enzyme activities. OTC + MP3 group significantly reduced plant height of P. ternata. In addition, metabolomics analysis showed that OTC treatment interfered with pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis. The OTC + MP0.1 group activated pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis and glutathione metabolism. The significance of this study lies in clarifying the effects of OTC on medicinal plants and whether its influence mechanism is regulated by the concentration of MPs.

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