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Joint toxicity of cadmium (II) and microplastic leachates on wheat seed germination and seedling growth
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Researchers investigated how cadmium and chemical compounds that leach from microplastics jointly affect wheat seed germination and seedling growth. They found that microplastic leachates from PVC and polyethylene can interact with cadmium in complex ways, sometimes worsening and sometimes lessening the toxic effects on young wheat plants. The study suggests that the combined presence of heavy metals and microplastics in agricultural soils could pose risks to crop development.
Cadmium (Cd) pollution ranks first in soils (7.0%) and microplastics usually have a significant adsorption capacity for it, which could pose potential threats to agricultural production and human health. However, the joint toxicity of Cd and microplastics on crop growth remains largely unknown. In this study, the toxic effects of Cd and two kinds of microplastic leachates, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), on wheat seed germination and seedlings' growth were explored under single and combined conditions. The results showed that Cd solution and two kinds of microplastic leachates stimulated the wheat seed germination process but inhibited the germination rate by 0-8.6%. The combined treatments promoted wheat seed germination but inhibited the seedlings' growth to different degrees. Specifically, the combination of 2.0 mg L Cd and 1.0 mgC L PVC promoted both seed germination and seedlings' growth, but they synergistically increased the antioxidant enzyme activity of seedlings. The toxicity of the PVC leachate to wheat seedlings was stronger than LDPE leachate. The addition of Cd could alleviate the toxicity of PVC leachate on seedlings, and reduce the toxicity of LDPE leachate on seedlings under the same concentration class combinations but aggravated stress under different concentration classes, consistent with the effect on seedlings' growth. Overall, Cd, PVC, and LDPE leachates have toxic effects on wheat growth, whether treated under single or combined treatments. This study has important implications for the joint toxicity of Cd solution and microplastic leachates in agriculture.
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Joint toxicity of Cadmium (II) and microplastic leachates on wheat seed germination and seedling growth
AI summary Read the abstract
This study tested how chemical leachates from PVC and LDPE microplastics interact with cadmium contamination to affect wheat crops. While certain combinations mildly boosted seed germination, the combination of cadmium and PVC leachates increased oxidative stress in seedlings, suggesting that microplastics in contaminated farm soils could make heavy metal toxicity worse for food crops. PVC leachate was more harmful than LDPE, underscoring that plastic type matters when assessing agricultural risk.
Analyzing the impacts of cadmium alone and in co-existence with polypropylene microplastics on wheat growth
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Researchers tested how cadmium and polypropylene microplastics individually and together affect wheat seedling growth, and found that their combined presence intensified negative effects on germination and early development. Cadmium alone inhibited root and shoot growth, and microplastics amplified this damage while also altering antioxidant enzyme activity in the plants. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of heavy metals and microplastics in agricultural soil may create compounding stress on crop health.
Effects of microplastics and cadmium on the soil-wheat system as single and combined contaminants
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Researchers found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics combined with cadmium reduced wheat chlorophyll concentrations and affected soil-plant systems differently depending on pollution levels, revealing complex interaction effects between co-contaminants.
Polypropylene Microplastics and Cadmium: Unveiling the Key Impacts of Co-Pollution on Wheat–Soil Systems from Multiple Perspectives
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Researchers found that polypropylene microplastics combined with cadmium co-pollution impaired wheat germination, reduced plant growth, and disrupted soil microbial communities more severely than either contaminant alone, demonstrating synergistic toxicity in an agriculturally important crop.
Ecotoxicological Impacts of Microplastics and Cadmium Pollution on Wheat Seedlings
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Researchers investigated the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on wheat seedlings and found that microplastics generally reduced the antioxidant enzyme response that cadmium alone would trigger. The study also found that microplastics altered cadmium bioaccumulation patterns, increasing cadmium uptake in roots at low concentrations but decreasing it at higher levels, suggesting complex interactions between these co-occurring pollutants.
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