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Toxicity of photoaged polyvinyl chloride microplastics to wheat seedling roots
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Sunlight-aged PVC microplastics were found to be more toxic to wheat seedling roots than fresh PVC particles, with the aged particles stunting root growth by up to 7.5%. The toxicity came from both physical damage caused by smaller broken-down particles and chemical harm from additives that leached out of the aging plastic. This research matters because PVC is one of the most common microplastics in farm soil, and its increasing toxicity with age could affect crop health and food production.
Photoaging-prone and additive-rich polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) are abundant in the terrestrial environment, However, current knowledge about the effects of PVC-MPs on terrestrial plants is lacking. Herein, we investigated the physicochemical toxicity mechanisms of photoaged PVC-MP components, i.e. leachate (L), leached PVC-particles (P), and unleached PVC-MPs (UAMP), to wheat seedling roots. 108-h photoaged components were more detrimental to root growth than unaged ones, with root length decline by 3.56%- 7.45%, indicating enhanced ecotoxicity. Notably, 108-h aged UAMP displayed more pronounced inhibition to root architecture, nutrient content and root activity, and more significant stimulation on antioxidant systems compared to 108-h aged L and P. The abovementioned phenomena suggested the presence of a synergistic effect between physical damage from P and chemical harm from L. Surface adsorption experiments demonstrated that the adsorption of photoaging induced smaller particles caused physical damage to root system. Exposure treatment suggested that there was appreciable environmental risk posed by photoaged PVC-MP-derived additives, e.g., Irgafos 168-ox and Irganox 1076. Based on principal component analysis (PCA), additives from leachate played a greater role in UAMP ecotoxicity. Therefore, PVC-MP-derived additives require more consideration and put forward an important new aspect for the impact assessment of PVC-MPs in the environment.
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Toxicity of polyvinyl chloride microplastics on Brassica rapa
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Researchers exposed Brassica rapa plants to UV-weathered PVC microplastics and found significant growth inhibition, with stem length reduced by nearly 46% and root length by 35% after 30 days. The microplastic particles blocked leaf stomata and were observed entering the plant tissue, triggering stress responses including increased enzyme activity. The study suggests that microplastics in soil can physically and chemically interfere with normal plant development.
Aging increases the phytotoxicity of polyethylene and polypropylene to Lactuca Sativa L. compared to original microplastics
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This study found that microplastics from polyethylene and polypropylene become more toxic to lettuce plants after aging in the environment, reducing plant growth by roughly 25-28% compared to fresh plastic particles. The aged plastics disrupted the soil around plant roots, blocking nutrient absorption and interfering with key metabolic processes. This matters because most microplastics in farm soil have been weathered over time, meaning their real-world effects on food crops may be worse than lab studies using new plastics suggest.
Photoaging-driven amplification of polystyrene microplastic toxicity in wheat: physiological and multi-omics insights
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This study tested how sunlight-aged versus fresh polystyrene microplastics affect wheat plants. Sunlight-aged microplastics caused greater reductions in plant height, biomass and chlorophyll, raised stress markers, and altered nutrient uptake and gene activity more than fresh microplastics did.
Photoaging process and mechanism of four commonly commercial microplastics
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Researchers exposed four common commercial microplastic types to UV light to simulate photoaging on soil surfaces and studied changes in their properties and chemical leachates. The study found that PVC and polystyrene underwent more dramatic physical and chemical changes than polypropylene and polyethylene, with aging creating cracks that facilitated the release of dissolved organic matter and chemical additives. These findings suggest that aged microplastics may pose greater environmental risks to soil and groundwater than pristine ones due to increased leaching of complex organic compounds.
Tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) Phosphate Is the Key Toxicant in Aged Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics to Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Roots
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Scientists identified a specific chemical additive called Irgafos 168-ox as the main toxic substance released from aged PVC microplastics, causing oxidative stress and reduced growth in wheat roots. This additive was more harmful than other PVC-derived chemicals, and combining multiple additives made the damage worse. The research shows that the chemical additives leaching from microplastics in soil may be more dangerous to food crops than the plastic particles themselves.
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