We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Effects of antibiotics on aquatic plant growth and removal of antibiotics by plants in water containing microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that certain aquatic plants, especially Canna indica (a common ornamental plant), can help remove antibiotic pollution from water, even when microplastics are also present, though the plastics do make the cleanup somewhat less effective (10-20% weaker). This matters because antibiotics and microplastics are increasingly showing up together in rivers and lakes, and finding cost-effective, natural ways to filter them out could help protect drinking water sources and reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment.
Phytoremediation is widely used for water pollution control. The effect of antibiotics on aquatic plants and their removal by plants in water containing microplastics is unknown. Four aquatic plants were used for hydroponic tests to analyze the effect of antibiotics on the plant growth and their removal by plants in water containing low-density polyethylene microplastics (LDPE-MPs). The results indicated that under LDPE-MP stress, antibiotics at < 100 μg·L−1 promoted plant heights and leaf chlorophyll contents, while antibiotics at > 100 μg·L−1 had inhibitory effects; the ability of plants to remove antibiotics was Canna indica > Myriophyllum verticillatum > Pontederia cordata > Nymphaea tetragona; the plants with the best removal of norfloxacin, sulfadiazine and hygromycin at 100 μg·L−1 were Myriophyllum verticillatum, Canna indica and Canna indica, with removal rates of 51.7%, 51.4% and 52.9%, respectively; the antibiotic accumulation in plant tissues was root > stem > leaf; the rhizosphere microbial diversity decreased with increasing antibiotic concentrations, while Aeromonas, Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, Providencia, and Staphylococcus increased. LDPE-MP stress resulted in a 10∼20% decrease in antibiotic removal by plants. The findings suggest that the use of Canna indica can be prioritised to remove antibiotics from the water containing microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Combined pollution of microplastics and antibiotics in agricultural ecosystems: occurrence, mechanisms, and risks
AI summary
This study investigated biomagnification of microplastics through marine food webs using non-invasive methods, analyzing fecal samples or other accessible biological materials from predators at multiple trophic levels. The approach demonstrates that trophic transfer can be assessed without requiring lethal sampling, enabling broader biodiversity inclusion in biomagnification studies.
Antibiotic desorption from microplastics in brackish water and the effect on microbial communities
Interaction of Antibiotics with Microplastics in Agricultural Soils
AI summary Read the abstract
This study investigates how co-occurring antibiotics and microplastics interact in agricultural soils, finding that plastic particles can adsorb antibiotics and alter their mobility, persistence, and bioavailability to soil organisms. The antibiotic-microplastic interaction in farmland soils raises concerns about accelerated antibiotic resistance development and the contamination of crops grown in affected fields.
Microplastics in Plant Species: Impacts and Ecological Perspectives
AI summary Read the abstract
This analysis examined how microplastics affect plant physiology in terrestrial ecosystems, including uptake through roots, translocation into edible tissues, disruption of photosynthesis, and alteration of soil microbial communities that plants depend on. Because many staple crops can absorb and accumulate microplastics from contaminated soil and irrigation water, agricultural microplastic pollution translates directly into human dietary exposure through fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.