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Effects and molecular mechanisms of polyethylene microplastic oxidation on wheat grain quality
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This study found that oxidized polyethylene microplastics -- the kind that form as plastics break down in the environment -- reduced wheat grain quality more severely than fresh microplastics, affecting starch and protein content. The findings matter for human health because they suggest that aging plastic pollution in agricultural soils could lower the nutritional value of staple crops we rely on for food.
Polyethylene microplastics (PE MPs) are the main MPs in agricultural soils and undergo oxidation upon environmental exposure. However, the influence of MP oxidation on phytotoxicity (especially for crop fruit) is still limited. This study aimed to explore the effect of PE MP oxidation on crop toxicity. Herein, a combination of plant phenotyping, metabolomic, and transcriptomic approaches was used to evaluate the effects of low-oxidation PE (LOPE) and high-oxidation PE (HOPE) on wheat growth, grain quality, and related molecular mechanisms using pot experiments. The results showed that HOPE induced a stronger inhibition of wheat growth and reduction in protein content and mineral elements than LOPE. This was accompanied by root ultrastructural damage and downregulation of carbohydrate metabolism, translation, nutrient reservoir activity, and metal ion binding gene expression. Compared with HOPE, LOPE activated a stronger plant defense response by reducing the starch content by 22.87 %, increasing soluble sugar content by 44.93 %, and upregulating antioxidant enzyme genes and crucial metabolic pathways (e.g., starch and sucrose, linoleic acid, and phenylalanine metabolism). The presence of PE MPs in the environment exacerbates crop growth inhibition and fruit quality deterioration, highlighting the need to consider the environmental and food safety implications of MPs in agricultural soils.
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Effects of Biodegradable Poly (Butylene Adipate‐Co‐Terephthalate) Microplastics on Grain Quality and Defense Mechanism of Wheat
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Researchers investigated the effects of biodegradable PBAT microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations on wheat growth and grain quality in a soil pot experiment. PBAT MPs reduced grain protein content and activated defence mechanisms including antioxidant enzyme responses, suggesting impacts on grain nutritional quality.
Unveiling the Effects of Polypropylene Microplastics (PP-MPs) on Growth Attributes and Antioxidant Defense System in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles from everyday items like food containers can harm wheat plants when present in soil at higher levels, stunting their growth and reducing important nutrients. This matters because wheat is a major food crop worldwide, and if microplastics continue building up in farmland soil, it could affect our food supply and the nutritional quality of foods we eat. The study shows that plastic pollution isn't just an ocean problem—it's also threatening the crops that feed us.
Microplastics affect rice (Oryza sativa L.) quality by interfering metabolite accumulation and energy expenditure pathways: A field study
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Researchers conducted a field study examining how polystyrene microplastics affect rice grain quality at the molecular level using metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. They found that microplastic exposure interfered with metabolite accumulation and energy pathways in the rice plants, ultimately reducing grain quality. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can directly compromise the nutritional quality of a major food crop.
[Effects of Enzyme Activities and Metabolomics of Wheat Rhizosphere Soil Under Biodegradable Microplastics].
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Even "biodegradable" plastics may not be as harmless to soil as we think: this study found that when these plastics break down in soil around wheat roots, they change soil chemistry and disrupt the activity of enzymes that plants and soil microbes rely on to stay healthy. Since wheat is a staple food crop, changes to soil health could eventually affect crop quality and the safety of our food supply, making this an early warning sign worth watching as biodegradable plastics become more common.
Polylactic acid microplastics have stronger positive effects on the qualitative traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) than polyethylene microplastics: Evidence from a simulated field experiment
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Researchers found that both polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics in soil affected the quality of rice grains by changing their mineral content, fatty acid profiles, and amino acid levels. Interestingly, PLA microplastics had some positive effects on grain yield and weight, while PE microplastics more significantly disrupted the nutritional composition. This study shows that microplastic contamination in farm soil can alter the nutritional quality of rice, a staple food for billions of people, even when the plants appear to grow well.
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