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Time dependent release of microplastics from disposable face masks poses cyto-genotoxic risks in Allium cepa
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Researchers studied how disposable face masks release microplastics over time when submerged in water, then tested the effects of the resulting leachates on plant cells. They found that masks released increasing amounts of microplastics the longer they were submerged, and that the leachates caused DNA damage and disrupted cell division in onion root cells. The study highlights that discarded face masks from the pandemic era are an ongoing source of microplastic pollution with measurable biological effects.
The use of disposable face masks (DFMs) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become a threat to the environment due to the release of microplastics (MPs). Although many reports have characterized and explored the release of MPs from DFMs and their effects in aquatic ecosystems, there is a lack of investigation into the effects in terrestrial plants. This report aims to fill this research gap by characterizing whole mask leachates (WMLs) collected at different time points and examining their toxicity on Allium cepa, a terrestrial model plant. Various analytical techniques including FE-SEM, FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy were used to identify MPs in WMLs. The MPs are composed of polypropylene mostly and the concentration of smaller-sized MPs increased with leachate release time. The WMLs showed a MP concentration-dependent cytogenotoxic effect (72 %, 50 %, and 31 %, on 1, 5, and 11-day WMLs, respectively) on A. cepa root cells due to elevated oxidative stress (19 %, 45 %, and 70 %, on 1, 5, and 11-day WMLs, respectively). Heavy metal content of the WMLs was negligible and, thus, not a significant contributor to toxicity in the plant. Overall, this report highlights the fate of DFMs in the environment and their biological impacts in a model plant.
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Researchers found that disposable face masks break down faster in landfill conditions than in plain water, releasing polypropylene microfibers and toxic metals. The leachate from degraded masks caused significantly more DNA damage and oxidative stress in plant cells compared to masks aged in clean water. This study highlights that improper disposal of face masks in landfills creates a growing source of microplastic and chemical contamination.
The effect of microplastics on root growth and on mitotic cell division in onion
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This study investigated how microplastics affect root growth and cell division in onion (Allium cepa), a standard model organism for plant toxicology testing. The results help evaluate whether microplastic exposure in soil can impair plant growth, which is relevant to understanding agricultural risks from microplastic-contaminated soils.
Unveiling the toxic release: kinetics and comparative effects of microplastic fibers, organic, and metal leachates from disposable surgical face masks on two aquatic trophic levels: algae and crustaceans
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Researchers tested what leaches out of disposable surgical face masks into water over time, then exposed algae and brine shrimp to those leachates. The masks released polypropylene microplastic fibers, phthalate chemicals, and trace metals; the microplastic fibers caused the most harm — reducing algae viability, increasing oxidative stress, and raising mortality in shrimp — highlighting disposable masks as an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution.
Face mask derived micro(nano)plastics and organic compounds potentially induce threat to aquatic ecosystem security revealed by toxicogenomics-based assay
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Researchers characterized pollutants released from four common face masks in water and found that microplastic fibers and leachable organic chemicals dominate emissions, with the organics causing DNA damage across multiple repair pathways in a whole-cell toxicogenomics assay — raising concerns about discarded mask waste as an underappreciated aquatic pollution source.
Phytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene and Polymethyl Methacrylate Microplastics on Allium cepa Roots
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Researchers exposed onion roots to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics at various concentrations and observed toxic effects on root growth and cellular health. Both types of microplastics caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted cell division in the root tips. The study provides evidence that common plastic particles in soil can directly harm plant root development at the cellular level.
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