We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Identification and quantification of nanoplastics in different crops using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
Summary
Researchers developed a reliable method to measure nanoplastics in food crops and found significant contamination in four types of vegetables including cowpea and cabbage. PVC and polyethylene nanoplastics were the most common, with cowpea showing especially high levels of PET nanoplastics. This is one of the first studies to actually quantify nanoplastic levels in crops, providing important data for understanding how much plastic people may be consuming through their diet.
Quantitative studies of nanoplastics (NPs) abundance on agricultural crops are crucial for understanding the environmental impact and potential health risks of NPs. However, the actual extent of NP contamination in different crops remains unclear, and therefore insufficient quantitative data are available for adequate exposure assessments. Herein, a method with nitric acid digestion, multiple organic extraction combined with pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) quantification was used to determine the chemical composition and mass concentration of NPs in different crops (cowpea, flowering cabbage, rutabagas, and chieh-qua). Recoveries of 74.2-109.3% were obtained for different NPs in standard products (N = 6, RSD <9.6%). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.02-0.5 μg and 0.06-1.5 μg, respectively. The detection method for NPs exhibited good external calibration curves and linearity with 0.99. The results showed that poly (vinylchloride) (PVC), poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polyethylene (PE), and polyadiohexylenediamine (PA66) NPs could be detected in crop samples, although the accumulation levels associated with the various crops varied significantly. PVC (N.D.-954.3 mg kg, dry weight (DW)) and PE (101.3-462.9 mg kg, DW) NPs were the dominant components in the samples of all four crop species, while high levels of PET (414.3-1430.1 mg kg, DW) NPs were detected in cowpea samples. Furthermore, there were notable differences in the accumulation levels of various edible crop parts, such as stems (60.2%) > leaves (39.8%) in flowering cabbage samples and peas (58.8%) > pods (41.2%) in cowpea samples. This study revealed the actual extent of NP contamination in different types of crops and provided crucial reference data for future research.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Quantification of Nanoplastic Uptake in Cucumber Plants by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Researchers developed a new analytical method to measure how much nanoplastic cucumber plants absorb from their growing environment. Using this technique, they detected up to nearly 7,000 micrograms per gram of nanoplastics in dried plant tissues after just two weeks of exposure, confirming that the tiny particles can be taken up, transported, and accumulated throughout the plant. The findings raise concerns about nanoplastics potentially entering the human food chain through contaminated produce.
Novel insights related to soil microplastic abundance and vegetable microplastic contamination
Researchers analyzed microplastic contamination in farmland soils and the vegetables grown in them, finding that polyethylene and polypropylene were the most common plastic types in soil. Chinese cabbage had the highest vegetable contamination levels, and there was a moderate correlation between soil and vegetable microplastic concentrations. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastics in agricultural soil can transfer into the food crops people eat.
Determination of extractable pollutants from microplastics to vegetables: Accumulation and incorporation into the food chain
Researchers developed a method to detect plastic-related chemical compounds that leach into vegetables, finding that root vegetables contained higher levels of these contaminants than non-root varieties. The study identified 16 quantifiable plastic-associated compounds in the samples, including potentially harmful substances like styrene and phthalates. The findings raise concerns about how microplastics in soil may introduce chemical pollutants into the food chain through crop uptake.
Bioanalytical approaches for the detection, characterization, and risk assessment of micro/nanoplastics in agriculture and food systems
This review examines bioanalytical methods for detecting micro- and nanoplastics throughout the agricultural and food supply chain, covering techniques from microscopy and spectroscopy to emerging approaches for characterizing plastic contamination and assessing associated risks.
Bridging lab and field: Tracking environmentally relevant nanoplastics in crops using Py-GC/MS
Researchers developed a method to track environmentally realistic nanoplastics in barley plants using a novel analytical technique. They produced nanoplastics from weathered polystyrene foam to better mimic real-world conditions and confirmed the particles could be taken up by plant roots and move into above-ground tissues. The study provides important evidence that crops grown in contaminated soil can absorb nanoplastics, with implications for food safety.