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Exploring the Impacts of HDPE Microplastics on Growth and Physiological Behavior of Brassica juncea (Mustard Plant)
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Researchers demonstrated that HDPE microplastics reduce chlorophyll, phenolic, and proline content in mustard plants (Brassica juncea) and showed — for the first time — that microplastics translocate from roots to leaves via fluorescence and confocal microscopy. This evidence of root-to-shoot microplastic transfer in a food crop raises direct concerns about human dietary exposure through consuming contaminated vegetables grown in plastically polluted agricultural soils.
In today's world, plastic pollution has become a big environmental concern. As a result, smaller plastic pieces, also known as microplastics (MPs), have received a lot of attention in recent years. The majority of study has focused on microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems and related shorelines. However, influence of microplastics (MPs) in the soil environment and on agroecosystem is minimal. To investigate the problem, this study is aimed to observe the effects of MPs in soil using Brassica juncea as a model plant. Because of its high biomass capacity, Brassica juncea can store considerable level of contaminants in its tissues. As a result, B. juncea was subjected to two microplastics, HDPE_MPs and HDPE_beads, followed by analysis of biometrical parameters, physio-biochemical features, and morphological analyses. Plants subjected to 20 g beads had the lowest concentrations of phenolic content, chlorophyll content, and proline content compared to other treated samples. Furthermore, fluorescence and confocal microscopy demonstrated the transfer of microplastics throughout plant roots and leaves, showing their potential for plant injury. To the best of our knowledge, this study focuses on the transfer of MPs from root to leaves of Brassica juncea for the first time. A method for microplastic uptake from plant roots to leaves has also been postulated. It merits further examination in future studies and provides new insight into the phytoaccumulation of MPs in soil.
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