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Brassinosteroids alleviate nanoplastic toxicity in edible plants by activating antioxidant defense systems and suppressing nanoplastic uptake
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Scientists discovered that nanoplastics accumulate in the edible parts of tomato plants, but treating the plants with a natural hormone called brassinosteroids reduced nanoplastic uptake and reversed the growth damage. The hormone works by turning off water-channel genes that nanoplastics use to enter the plant. This finding matters for food safety because it suggests a practical way to reduce the amount of nanoplastics people consume through fruits and vegetables.
As emerging pollutants of global concern, absorbed nanoplastics might have negative impacts on plant development and nutrient uptake, thereby decreasing yields. If nanoplastics are transferred to the edible parts of plants, they may pose a threat to human health when large quantities are ingested. While nanoplastic-induced phytotoxicity is attracting increasing attention, little is known about how to inhibit nanoplastic accumulation in plants and reduce the subsequent adverse effects. Here we investigated the absorption and accumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) in different plant species and the role of brassinosteroids in alleviating PS-NP toxicity. Brassinosteroids inhibited accumulation of PS-NPs in tomato fruit and reversed PS-NP-induced phytotoxicity to promote plant growth and increase fresh weight and plant height. Brassinosteroids also reversed the induction of aquaporin-related genes by PS-NPs including TIP2-1, TIP2-2, PIP2-6, PIP2-8, PIP2-9, SIP2-1, and NIP1-2, providing a potential stress mechanism by which PS-NPs accumulate in the edible parts and targets for inhibition. In transcriptomic analyses, brassinosteroids enhanced fatty acid and amino acid metabolism and synthesis. In conclusion, exogenous application of 50 nM brassinosteroids alleviated the adverse effects of PS-NPs on plants, and exogenous application of brassinosteroids might be an effective means to minimize PS-NP-induced phytotoxicity.
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Brassinosteroids as phytohormonal shields against micro- and nanoplastic stress in plants
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Tiny plastic particles in soil can stress crops and even work their way into the food we eat, but this research review pulls together evidence that a natural plant hormone called brassinosteroid may help. In tomatoes, this hormone reduced how much nanoplastic ended up in the edible parts of the plant by blocking the tiny channels plastics use to enter, and it also helped other crops like rice grow better despite plastic contamination. This doesn't mean the hormone cleans up plastic pollution, but it's an early, promising step toward growing food that's less contaminated by plastics—though more real-world farm testing is still needed.
Strigolactones alleviate the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) in maize (Zea mays L.)
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Researchers found that a natural plant hormone called strigolactone helped protect maize plants from the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics by reducing how much plastic accumulated in the roots. The hormone activated the plant's antioxidant defenses and changed the expression of genes related to stress response and hormone signaling. While focused on plants, this research matters for food safety because it could lead to agricultural practices that reduce how much microplastic contamination ends up in crops that people eat.
Rhizosphere micro-environment restructuring by foliar 24-epibrassinolide enhances wheat resilience to polyethylene nanoplastics.
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Tiny plastic particles in soil can stunt wheat growth, which matters since wheat is a staple food crop many people rely on. Scientists found that spraying leaves with a natural plant hormone helped wheat grow stronger roots and shoots even when exposed to these nanoplastics, partly by boosting helpful soil bacteria. This points to a possible low-cost way to protect crops, and potentially our food supply, as plastic pollution keeps rising.
Influence of polystyrene nanoplastics on the uptake and distribution of potentially toxic elements in tomato plants investigated using isotopic tracers
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Scientists grew tomato plants in water containing tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) along with common contaminants like chromium, cadmium, lead, and zinc to see how the plastics affect what ends up in your food. They found that nanoplastics mostly stayed in the roots rather than traveling up to the fruit, and while they didn't change cadmium or zinc uptake, they actually reduced how much chromium and lead the plants absorbed. The bigger concern: tomatoes naturally accumulated notable levels of cadmium regardless of plastic exposure, which could pose health risks, especially for children, if ea
How do nanoplastics hijack crop physiology: A review of uptake pathways and agricultural sustainability implications
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This research review summarizes how tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can get inside crop plants through their roots and leaves, potentially harming how plants grow and produce food. These ultra-small plastic pieces interfere with how plants absorb nutrients and respond to stress, which could threaten our food supply. Since we eat these crops, understanding how nanoplastics affect plant health is important for protecting both agriculture and human health.
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