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Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on tomato plant growth, fruit yield and quality
Summary
Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect tomato plant growth and fruit quality, finding that exposure reduced seedling biomass, impaired photosynthesis, and triggered oxidative stress. At higher concentrations, the nanoplastics inhibited mineral uptake and diminished fruit yield along with nutritional quality markers like vitamin C and lycopene. The study highlights that nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could pose a meaningful threat to food crop productivity and nutritional value.
Nanoplastics (≤100 nm) are emerging pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems capable of infiltrating plants through root absorption, posing potential risks to ecosystems and human health. However, their effects on vegetable crops remain poorly understood. This study investigated the physiological and molecular impacts of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) on tomato growth and fruit quality. Exposure to PSNPs reduced seedling biomass, photosynthesis, and root development, while triggering oxidative stress via elevated H₂O₂ and O₂ levels. Pot experiments demonstrated that nanoplastics at a higher concentration (16 mg·kg) nanoplastics inhibited mineral uptake, diminishing fruit yield and nutritional quality (e.g., soluble solids, vitamin C, lycopene). Root transcriptomic analysis identified 388 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), linking growth inhibition to disruptions in synthesis and metabolic pathways. These findings elucidate nanoplastics-induced toxicity mechanisms in crops, underscoring their threat to food safety and sustainable agriculture.