We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Charge-selective polystyrene nanoplastic retention by plant cell walls: Pectin domains dictate differential accumulation in rice seedling roots and shoots
AI summary Read the abstract
A study of rice seedling roots found that plant cell walls act as a charge-selective barrier to nanoplastics: negatively charged polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-COOH) accumulated nearly 4.5 times more in shoots than positively charged ones (PS-NH₂), while positive nanoplastics were preferentially retained in root cell walls by binding to pectin. The results are directly relevant to food safety because they show that nanoplastic surface chemistry determines how much plastic penetrates into the edible parts of a major global food crop.
The escalating global plastic pollution necessitates urgent investigation into the distribution and accumulation pathways of nanoplastics (NPs) in crops to assess their threats to food security. Here, we reveal that plant cell walls serve as a charge-selective barrier governing the differential uptake of polystyrene (PS) NPs with distinct surface charges (PS-COOH NPs and PS-NH2 NPs) in rice. Quantitative tracking showed that PS-COOH NPs accumulated 1.84- and 4.43-fold more in roots and shoots, respectively, than PS-NH2, with >92% of both NPs restricted to roots. Crucially, root cell walls selectively retained NPs based on charge: PS-NH2 NPs accumulated 1.91-2.45-fold more than PS-COOH NPs within walls, primarily through binding to pectin (74.04%-87.28% sequestration). Furthermore, NPs induced cell wall remodeling, including pectin enrichment, hemicellulose I deposition, thereby reinforcing charge-selective retention and differential uptake. These findings reveal an adaptive mechanism of plant cell walls under NPs stress and provide mechanistic insights into charge-dependent NPs accumulation pathways in edible crops.
More Papers Like This
Differentially charged nanoplastics demonstrate distinct accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed Arabidopsis thaliana plants to positively and negatively charged polystyrene nanoplastics and found that charge determined accumulation patterns, with positively charged particles penetrating deeper into root and leaf tissues than negatively charged ones.
Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups on rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings: Combined transcriptome, enzymology, and physiology
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed rice seedlings to polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface chemistries and found that all types reduced plant growth and photosynthetic ability. The amino-modified (positively charged) nanoplastics caused the most severe damage, reducing shoot growth by over 40% and dry weight by more than 70%. The study revealed that different surface modifications trigger distinct biological responses in the plant, affecting everything from ion transport to protein synthesis.
From stress to defense: Spatial confinement of nanoplastics in rice root cell walls via pectin matrix remodeling
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers showed that rice roots defend against nanoplastic intrusion by rapidly increasing pectin content in cell walls by 65%, which traps nearly half the nanoplastics within root tissue and stiffens cell walls to suppress upward transport to edible shoots.
Organosilicon and inorganic silica inhibit polystyrene nanoparticles uptake in rice
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that both organosilicon and inorganic silica can protect rice cells from polystyrene nanoplastic toxicity by generating negative surface charges and reducing cell wall porosity, thereby blocking nanoparticle uptake.
Uptake and transport of micro/nanoplastics in terrestrial plants: Detection, mechanisms, and influencing factors
AI summary Read the abstract
This review summarizes how micro and nanoplastics enter and move through plants, including uptake through roots and leaves via processes like endocytosis and movement through cell walls. Smaller particles penetrate more easily, and factors like surface charge and soil conditions affect how much plastic plants absorb. The findings are important because they show that crops can take up microplastics from contaminated soil, creating a potential pathway for these particles to reach the human diet.
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.