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Impact of Microplastic on RoadsideVegetable Cultivation: A Case Studyof Agricultural Farmland
Summary
Researchers measured microplastic contamination in roadside vegetable farms in Multan, Pakistan, finding that plots closer to roads had up to 3,540 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil and that vegetables grown there showed reduced chlorophyll and antioxidant levels, indicating stress from microplastic exposure.
Microplastic (MPs) pollution poses a significant threat to environmental integrity, particularly in agricultural areas adjacent to roads.There is a dire need to know the occurrence of MPs on roadside vegetable farmlands and their effect on the agro-ecosystem.Therefore, the study was planned to investigate the influence of MPs on the growth and development of roadside vegetables in the city of Multan, Pakistan.Analysis indicated that fiber, microbeads, and polythene bag particles were the main types of MPs.The concentration of MPs was inversely correlated with the distance of farmlands from the road.The maximum concentration of MPs (3490-3540 items/kg) was observed in the farmlands near the road (site-1), while the minimum MPs (2698-2761 items/kg) were measured in the farmlands located away from the road (site-3).Additionally, plant analysis showed that chlorophyll contents (a & b) and ascorbic acid (AsA) contents measured in all the vegetables were directly correlated with the distance from the road respectively Chl-a [(site-1 0.07-0.17),(site-2 0.14-0.20),(site-3 0.19-0.22mg.g -1 FW), Chl-b [(site-1 0.04-0.23),(site-2 0.09-0.28)(site-3 0.17-0.36mg g -1 FW)], AsA (site-1 0.54-0.64),(site-2 0.95-1.13),(site-3 1.57-1.82mol g -1 )] and malondialdehyde (MDA) [(site-1 6.16-14.5),
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