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Characteristics of organic matter driven by Eichhornia crassipes during co-contamination with per(poly)fluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and microplastics (MPs)
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Researchers examined how co-contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and polystyrene microplastics affects dissolved organic matter released by the floating plant Eichhornia crassipes. They found that these contaminants increased organic matter release by 32 to 77% and altered the composition of fluorescent compounds in the water. The study reveals that emerging contaminant mixtures can disrupt the organic matter cycling driven by aquatic plants, with potential cascading effects on water ecosystems.
Co-contamination with MPs and PFASs has been recorded, particularly in surface-water environments. Floating macrophyte microcosms are an important part of the surface water ecosystem, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) driven by floating macrophytes (FMDDOM) is critical for maintaining material circulation. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding the impact of MPs and PFASs co-pollution on FMDDOM. An greenhouse simulation experiment was conducted in this study to investigate the effects of four PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoro-octane-sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoic acid (Gen X), and potassium 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonate (F-53B), on FMDDOM sourced from Eichhornia crassipes (E. crassipes), a typical floating macrophyte, in the presence and absence of polystyrene (PS) MPs. Four PFASs increased FMDDOM release from E. crassipes, leading to a 32.52-77.49 % increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels. PS MPs further increased this, with results ranging from -21.28 % to 26.49 %. Based on the parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), FMDDOM was classified into three types of fluorescent components: tryptophan-like, humic-like, and tyrosine-like compounds. Contaminants of MPs and PFASs modified the relative abundance of these three components. Protein secondary structure analysis showed that fluorocarbon bonds tended to accumulate on the α-helix of proteins in FMDDOM. The relative abundance of fluorescent and chromophorous FMDDOMs varied from 0.648 ± 0.044 to 0.964 ± 0.173, indicating that the photochemical structures of the FMDDOM were modified. FMDDOM exhibits decreased humification and increased aromaticity when contaminated with MPs and PFASs, which may be detrimental to the geochemical cycling of carbon. This study offers a theoretical basis for assessing the combined ecological risks of MPs and PFASs in floating macrophyte ecosystems.
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This study found that when microplastics and forever chemicals (PFAS) coexist in water, the microplastics increase how much PFAS accumulates in water hyacinth plants and worsen the toxic effects compared to PFAS exposure alone. The finding is relevant to human health because it shows microplastics can amplify the harmful effects of other pollutants already present in the environment.
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Scientists studied how microplastics and "forever chemicals" (PFAS) together affect water hyacinth plants used to clean up polluted water, finding that the mix of plastic types disrupts the helpful bacteria and fungi living on plant roots, which in turn affects how well the plants remove pollutants from water. This matters because floating plants like these are used in real-world water treatment systems, and understanding how combined plastic and PFAS pollution weakens their cleanup power could help us design better, more effective ways to filter contaminants out of drinking water sources.
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Researchers studied how the combined presence of microplastics and PFAS chemicals affects the bacterial communities living on water hyacinth roots. They found that these pollutants significantly altered the composition and diversity of root-associated bacteria, with different plastic types and chemical combinations producing distinct microbial shifts. The findings suggest that co-contamination by microplastics and PFAS could disrupt the beneficial microbial communities that aquatic plants depend on for healthy growth.
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This study examined how mixtures of different microplastic types interact with PFAS (forever chemicals) and found that more diverse microplastic mixtures increased the absorption and toxicity of PFAS in aquatic plants. The complexity of real-world microplastic pollution, where multiple plastic types coexist, appears to make forever chemical contamination worse. This finding is important because most lab studies test single plastic types, potentially underestimating the actual environmental risk.
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Researchers studied how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and polystyrene microplastics interact to cause oxidative stress damage in the aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata. They found that microplastics masked over 70% of the oxidative stress effects caused by the fluorinated chemicals, showing a significant antagonistic interaction. The study identified specific PFAS compounds with the highest masking risk, providing new insights for regulating combined pollutant risks to aquatic ecosystems.
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