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Determination of extractable pollutants from microplastics to vegetables: Accumulation and incorporation into the food chain
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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.
The presence and impacts of microplastics (MPs) are being extensively researched and reviewed, especially in the marine environment. However, mobility, transportation routes, and accumulation of leaching compounds such as additives in plastic waste including MPs are scarcely studied. Information regarding ecotoxicity and leachability of compounds related to MPs contamination in the environment is limited. Current work presents the levels of leachates from plastic materials in edible-root and non-edible root vegetables. Samples were analyzed by static headspace and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SHS-GC-MS) and the presence of 93 putative compounds was accurately monitored in the samples by the usage of Mass Spectrometry-Data Independent Analysis software. The application of chemometrics to the SHS-GC-MS dataset allowed differentiation between the levels of plastic related compounds in edible root and non-edible root vegetables, the former showing a higher content of plastic leachates. For SHS sampling, 3 g of the sample were incubated at 130 °C for 35 min in the HS vial and toluene and naphthalene were added as internal standards for quantification purposes. The developed SHS-GC-MS methodology is straightforward, reliable, and robust and allowed the quantification of sixteen plastic associated compounds in the samples studied in a range from 0.14 to 28800 ng g−1 corresponding to 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol and p,α-dimethylstyrene, respectively. Several of the quantified compounds pointed out to potential contamination of polystyrene and/or polyvinyl chloride MPs.
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Micro and nano plastics in fruits and vegetables: A review.
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This review examined how microplastics contaminate fruits and vegetables through root uptake, surface adhesion, and irrigation water, covering analytical methods for detection and highlighting the role of plants as an underappreciated entry point for plastics into the human food chain.
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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.
Uptake of tire-derived compounds in leafy vegetables and implications for human dietary exposure
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Scientists measured tire-derived chemicals in commercial leafy vegetables from four countries and found six different tire compounds present, including some linked to toxicity in aquatic life. Tire particles are one of the most common types of microplastic in the environment, and their chemical additives can be taken up by food crops through contaminated soil and water. While the estimated daily intake from vegetables alone was relatively low, this study confirms that tire-related microplastic pollution is entering the human food supply.
Microplastic Uptake in Vegetables: Sources, Mechanisms, Transport and Food Safety
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This review gathered current knowledge on how microplastics enter agricultural soils and get taken up by vegetable crops, which are a major part of the human diet. Researchers found that microplastics can be absorbed through plant roots and transported to edible parts, with uptake influenced by particle size, plastic type, and soil conditions. The study highlights the need for more research on how microplastic contamination in food crops could affect human health and food safety.
Pesticide bioaccumulation in radish produced from soil contaminated with microplastics
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Researchers examined how microplastics in soil affect the bioaccumulation of pesticides in radishes, finding that aged microplastics enhanced the uptake of chlorpyrifos into the edible root. The study suggests that the combination of microplastics and pesticide mixtures in agricultural soils may increase food safety risks beyond what would be expected from individual contaminants alone.
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