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Single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on submerged plant Myriophyllum verticillatum L.
Summary
Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on the submerged aquatic plant Myriophyllum verticillatum. They found that nanoplastics reduced arsenic accumulation in the plant by 17 to 67 percent, and that the interaction between the two contaminants was dose-dependent, with nanoplastics alleviating arsenic toxicity at low doses but worsening it at higher concentrations. The study suggests that co-contamination of nanoplastics and heavy metals in freshwater environments may have complex ecological effects.
The contamination of nanoplastics (NPs) and heavy metals (HM) in water bodies has caused widespread concern, while their effects on submerged plants are poorly reported. Polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and arsenic (As) were used to assess their toxicity on Myriophyllum verticillatum L. via the orthogonal experiments. PSNPs significantly reduced the accumulation of As (17.24%-66.67%) in plant. Single As and high As-PSNPs treatments significantly inhibited plant growth, with a maximum reduction of 70.09% in the growth rate. The mineral nutrient content was significantly affected by PSNPs and As treatments. The antioxidant system was significantly inhibited, which was more pronounced in the roots. Similar findings were observed for soluble protein and soluble sugar. Some organic acids and amino acids showed down-regulation at high concentrations of As, leading to a decrease in the content of the mineral element and down-regulation of antioxidant enzyme synthesis. Furthermore, PSNPs could alleviate As toxicity under 0.1 mg/L As treatment but exacerbate As toxicity at 1 mg/L As dose. This study has important implications for the study of submerged plants exposed to co-contamination of microplastics and heavy metals, as well as the possible ecological risk assessment in freshwater.