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Uptake and translocation of nanoplastics in mono and dicot vegetables
Summary
Researchers investigated the uptake and translocation of nanoplastics in four vegetable species -- pak choi, tomato, radish, and asparagus -- exposing plants to fluorescently labeled poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene particles of 100 to 500 nm with different surface modifications, and using fluorescence microscopy to confirm nanoparticle entry and movement regardless of size or surface chemistry.
The increased production and use of plastics have negative impacts on the environment. However, not only the polymers themselves, but also smaller particles used for instance in cosmetics or derived from decomposition are toxicologically relevant. In recent years, research has focused on the occurrence of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in air, soil and water, whereas the entry into plants has hardly been investigated. To determine the load, translocation of MNPs and their effects on metabolism, pak choi, tomato, radish and asparagus have been exposed with fluorescent-labeled particles; poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or polystyrene (PS) of different sizes and surface modifications. By means of fluorescence microscopy the entry of NP regardless of their size (100 nm – 500 nm) and surface modification (unmodified, COOH or NH ) has been demonstrated. Additionally, metabolic changes induced by MNPs have been determined by metabolomics. The entry could pose a potential risk to food safety as well as quality and needs greater concern and further research.