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[Effects of Combined Stress of Polyethylene and Sulfamethazine on Seed Germination, Seedling Growth, and Physiological Characteristics of Soybean].
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A pot experiment found that low concentrations of polyethylene (PE) microplastics partially promoted soybean seed germination and growth, while high concentrations inhibited plant development, and that the antibiotic sulfamethazine caused dose-dependent inhibition that was partially alleviated by low-level PE co-exposure. These combined effects reveal complex interactions between microplastic and pharmaceutical contaminants in agricultural soils that affect crop productivity.
The combined pollution of antibiotics adsorption by microplastics has become inevitable in soil ecosystems; moreover, the plant biological effects under combined stress remain unclear. This study used soybean variety Jindou 21 as the material and conducted seed germination test and soil-potted seedling experiment to study the effects of different single and combined treatments of polyethylene (PE) and sulfamethazine (SMZ) on seed germination, seedling growth, photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and nitrogen metabolism. The results showed that single PE treatment at low levels promoted soybean seed germination and seedling growth physiology; however, inhibited them at a high level. A lower-level PE treatment[10 mg·L-1 (or mg·kg-1)] could promote soybean seed germination, seedling growth, photosynthesis, and nitrogen metabolism, whereas a higher level PE treatment[100 mg·L-1 and 200 mg·L-1 (or mg·kg-1)] had significant inhibition. The single SMZ treatment had different degrees of inhibition on soybean seed germination and seedling growth physiology, and the inhibition degree increased with the increase in SMZ treatment level. Under the different levels of combined treatments of PE and SMZ, adding the lower level PE treatment could alleviate the inhibition of the single SMZ treatment on soybean, with 10 mg·L-1(or mg·kg-1) PE+1 mg·L-1(or mg·kg-1) SMZ treatment having the best comprehensive mitigation effect, which could increase soybean seed germination potential, germination rate, germination index, vigor index, plant height, root length, shoot and root fresh weight, Pn, Gs, Tr, chlorophyll contents, Fv/Fm, ΦPSⅡ, ETR, qP, and key enzyme activities for nitrogen metabolism such as NR and decrease the average germination time, Ci, NPQ, and NO3--N and NH4+-N contents compared with those in the single SMZ treatment. Adding the higher level PE treatment enhanced the inhibition of SMZ on soybean, and the inhibition degree increased with the increase in SMZ treatment level, in which 200 mg·L-1(or mg·kg-1) PE+50 mg·L-1(or mg·kg-1) SMZ treatment yielded the greatest inhibition. In summary, the lower level PE treatment could alleviate the inhibition of SMZ on soybean seeds and seedlings to a certain extent; however, the higher level PE treatment could produce a synergistic effect with SMZ, thus aggravating the toxic effect of the single stress treatment.
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[Effects of Combined Stress of High Density Polyethylene Microplastics and Chlorimuron-ethyl on Soybean Growth and Rhizosphere Bacterial Community].
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Researchers studied the effects of combined stress from high-density polyethylene microplastics and the herbicide chlorimuron-ethyl on soybean growth and physiology. The study found that co-exposure created more severe adverse effects than either pollutant alone, raising concerns about combined plastic and pesticide pollution in agricultural soils.
[Effect of Low-density Polyethylene Microplastics on Soybean-soil-microbial System].
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A pot experiment explored how different concentrations of low-density polyethylene microplastics affect soybean plants, the soil they grow in, and the microbial communities in that soil. Higher microplastic concentrations inhibited soybean growth, reduced soil enzyme activity, and altered microbial diversity in ways that could impair soil fertility. As microplastic contamination of agricultural soils continues to grow, these findings suggest real risks to food crop productivity and soil ecosystem health.
Interactive effects of combined manganese and microplastic pollution on soybean growth
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Researchers found that combined polyethylene microplastic and manganese pollution in soil significantly reduced soil pH and inhibited soybean growth in pot experiments, with the two stressors showing interactive effects on soil organic matter and plant development outcomes.
From single to combined stressors: Nanoplastic-ciprofloxacin synergy amplifies oxidative damage and metabolic dysregulation in Glycine max seedlings
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When soybean seedlings were exposed to both nanoplastics and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin together, the combined stress was significantly worse than either pollutant alone, stunting growth and disrupting key metabolic processes in the leaves. The nanoplastics reduced root growth and plant size, while the antibiotic primarily damaged leaf function, and together they overwhelmed the plants' antioxidant defenses. This matters for food safety because soybeans are a major crop, and agricultural environments increasingly contain both nanoplastics and antibiotic residues.
Combined contamination of microplastic and antibiotic alters the composition of microbial community and metabolism in wheat and maize rhizosphere soil
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A study found that when soil is contaminated with both microplastics and antibiotics together, the damage to wheat and maize seedlings is worse than from either contaminant alone, with increased root oxidative stress and disrupted soil bacterial communities. This combined contamination, common in agricultural soils treated with plastic mulch and livestock manure, could affect crop health and food quality.
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