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Phytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene and Polymethyl Methacrylate Microplastics on Allium cepa Roots
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Researchers exposed onion roots to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics at various concentrations and observed toxic effects on root growth and cellular health. Both types of microplastics caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted cell division in the root tips. The study provides evidence that common plastic particles in soil can directly harm plant root development at the cellular level.
Plastic contamination has become one of the most pressing environmental issues due to rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products, their fragmentation into smaller pieces, and long persistence in the environment, which affects all living organisms, including plants. In this study, Allium cepa roots were exposed to 0.01, 0.1, and 1 g L-1 of commercial polystyrene (PS-MPs) and polymethyl methacrylate microparticles (PMMA-MPs) for 72 h. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses showed high stability of both types of MPs in ultrapure water used for A. cepa treatment. Morphometric analysis revealed no significant change in root length compared to control. Pyrolysis hyphenated to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) has proven PS-MPs uptake by onion roots in all treatments, while PMMA-MPs were recorded only upon exposure to the highest concentration. Neither MPs induced any (cyto)toxic effect on root growth and PMMA-MPs even had a stimulating effect on root growth. ROS production as well as lipid and protein oxidation were somewhat higher in PS-MP treatments compared to the corresponding concentrations of PMMA-MP, while neither of the applied MPs induced significant damage to the DNA molecule assayed with a Comet test. Significantly elevated activity of H2O2 scavenging enzymes, catalase, and peroxidases was measured after exposure to both types of MPs. Obtained results suggest that onion roots take up PS-MPs more readily in comparison to PMMA-MPs, while both types of MPs induce a successful activation of antioxidant machinery in root cells that prevented the occurrence of toxic effects.
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Cytogenotoxic potential of a hazardous material, polystyrene microparticles on Allium cepa L.
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This study used the onion root test to assess the genotoxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on plant cells, finding that even at relatively low concentrations the particles caused oxidative stress, reduced root growth, and damaged chromosomes. The results indicate that polystyrene microplastics pose hazards to plant genetics, with implications for agricultural soil contamination.
The effect of microplastics on root growth and on mitotic cell division in onion
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This study investigated how microplastics affect root growth and cell division in onion (Allium cepa), a standard model organism for plant toxicology testing. The results help evaluate whether microplastic exposure in soil can impair plant growth, which is relevant to understanding agricultural risks from microplastic-contaminated soils.
Exploring the interaction between polystyrene nanoplastics and Allium cepa during germination: Internalization in root cells, induction of toxicity and oxidative stress
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Researchers germinated onion seeds in the presence of 50 nm polystyrene nanoparticles and found that even the lowest dose caused cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in root meristem cells — including micronuclei formation — while fluorescence and electron microscopy confirmed that nanoparticles physically enter root cells and can potentially move up the food chain via crops.
The effect of microplastics on oxidative stress appearance and activity of antioxidant enzymes in onion (Allium cepa L.) roots
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Researchers exposed onion (Allium cepa) roots to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics (PMMA-MPs) at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 g/L, measuring oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzyme activity. While root growth was largely unaffected and reactive oxygen species did not accumulate to toxic levels, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, APX, PPX) increased at all concentrations, with PS-MPs showing stronger effects than PMMA-MPs.
Cyto-Genotoxic Effect Causing Potential of Polystyrene Micro-Plastics in Terrestrial Plants.
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Exposure of plant root cells to polystyrene microplastics at multiple size ranges caused chromosome aberrations, reduced root length, and other cytological damage at higher concentrations. The findings indicate that microplastic particles can cause genotoxic effects in terrestrial plants, with implications for the health of food crops grown in plastic-contaminated soils.
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