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Foliar exposure to microplastics disrupts lettuce metabolism and negatively interferes with symbiotic microbial communities

Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 2025 9 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.

Ruiying Shi, Yuhang Lian, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Qi Wang Qi Wang Qi Wang Qi Wang Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Yuhang Lian, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Yuhang Lian, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Yuhang Lian, Ruiying Shi, Weitao Liu, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Yuhang Lian, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Qi Wang Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Miao Yu, Xiuping Fu, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Aurang Zeb, Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Weitao Liu, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Ruiying Shi, Qi Wang Jinzheng Liu, Qi Wang Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Weitao Liu, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Yuhang Lian, Jinzheng Liu, Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Yuhang Lian, Aurang Zeb, Qi Wang Yuhang Lian, Qi Wang Aurang Zeb, Qi Wang Ruiying Shi, Jinzheng Liu, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Qi Wang Weitao Liu, Miao Yu, Qi Wang Qi Wang Qi Wang Ruiying Shi, Qi Wang Ruiying Shi, Qi Wang Qi Wang Jinzheng Liu, Yuhang Lian, Aurang Zeb, Qi Wang Aurang Zeb, Weitao Liu, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Yuhang Lian, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Yuhang Lian, Ruiying Shi, Jianling Wang, Ruiying Shi, Qi Wang Qi Wang Ruiying Shi, Jianling Wang, Ruiying Shi, Ruiying Shi, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Aurang Zeb, Jianling Wang, Weitao Liu, Ruiying Shi, Jinzheng Liu, Aurang Zeb, Ruiying Shi, Jianling Wang, Yuhang Lian, Jinzheng Liu, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Yuhang Lian, Jianling Wang, Ruiying Shi, Qi Wang Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Jinzheng Liu, Ruiying Shi, Weitao Liu, Yuhang Lian, Weitao Liu, Weitao Liu, Jianling Wang, Qi Wang Jianling Wang, Jianling Wang, Yuhang Lian, Jinzheng Liu, Xiuping Fu, Weitao Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Miao Yu, Miao Yu, Weitao Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Weitao Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Jinzheng Liu, Qi Wang Weitao Liu, Yuhang Lian, Yuhang Lian, Miao Yu, Weitao Liu, Qi Wang

Summary

When microplastics were sprayed onto lettuce leaves to simulate airborne contamination, the plants showed reduced chlorophyll and photosynthesis rates of up to 81%, even though they appeared to grow normally. The microplastics also disrupted beneficial bacteria on the leaves and in the soil around the roots, including bacteria that help plants grow. This suggests that airborne microplastics landing on crops could quietly reduce their health and productivity while also harming the soil ecosystem.

Polymers

PE PP PS

Plant leaves are considered an important sink for atmospheric microplastics (MPs) because they serve as a vital interface between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems. However, there is still a dearth of information regarding how plant-symbiotic microbe-soil systems are affected by foliar exposure to MPs. In this study, MPs (polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP)) were sprayed over soil-cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) four occasions, with final sprays containing 0.4 and 4 μg of MPs per plant. MPs had no discernible impact on lettuce growth as compared to the control group. However, MPs led to reductions in relative chlorophyll content from 16.91 to 30.64 % and net photosynthetic rate from 6.64 to 81.41 %. These results validate the phytotoxicity linked to MP exposure through foliar application. The presence of MPs triggered interspecific competition among phyllosphere microbial species and reduced microbial network complexity by forming ecological niches and regulating carbon- and nitrogen-related metabolic pathways. Furthermore, MPs inhibited the growth of beneficial bacteria in the rhizosphere soil, including a variety of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) such as Rhizobiales, Pseudomonadales, and Bacillales. This study identifies the ecological health risks associated with atmospheric MPs, which may have a detrimental impact on crop production and further compromise soil ecosystem security.

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