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Exploration of Single and Co-Toxic Effects of Polypropylene Micro-Plastics and Cadmium on Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
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Researchers investigated the single and combined toxic effects of polypropylene microplastics and cadmium on rice plants, finding that co-exposure altered cadmium bioavailability and produced compounded negative effects on plant growth and development.
The widespread application of micro-plastics (MP) and their release in the open environment has become a matter of worldwide concern. When interacting with contaminants such as heavy metals in the soil ecosystem, MPs can result in detrimental effects on the soil environment and plant growth and development. However, information based on the interaction between MPs and heavy metals and their effects on terrestrial plants is still limited. Keeping this in mind, the present study was conducted to explore the single and combined toxicity of polypropylene (PP) MPs (13 and 6.5 μm) and cadmium (Cd) on germination indices; root and stem growth; fresh and dry weight; and anti-oxidative enzyme activities of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings. Our results indicated that a single application of PP MP and Cd on rice seedlings inhibited most of the germination indicators, while their co-occurrence (PP + Cd) showed a reduction in the overall toxicity to some extent. A single application of both the contaminants significantly inhibited root length, stem length, fresh weight and the activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes in rice seedling, while no significant effect on dry weight was observed. The combined toxicity of both PP and Cd revealed that 13 μm PP + Cd had an antagonistic effect on the growth of rice seedlings, while 6.5 μm PP + Cd showed a synergistic effect. The present study revealed that smaller PP MP particles (6.5 µm) prominently affected plant growth more as compared to larger particles (13 µm). Our work reported the combined effect of PP MP and Cd on the germination and growth of rice for the first time. This study can provide the basis for future research on the combined effects of different types and sizes of MPs and heavy metals on the terrestrial ecosystem.
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Polystyrene microplastics enhanced the toxicity of cadmium to rice seedlings: Evidence from rice growth, physiology, and element metabolism
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Polystyrene microplastics combined with cadmium -- a toxic heavy metal -- caused more damage to rice seedlings than either pollutant alone, reducing growth and disrupting the balance of essential nutrients. At higher concentrations, the microplastics significantly increased how much cadmium the plants absorbed into their above-ground parts. This matters for human health because rice is a staple food for billions of people, and microplastic-contaminated farmland could lead to higher heavy metal levels in the food supply.
Oxidative Damage in Roots of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Seedlings Exposed to Microplastics or Combined with Cadmium
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Rice seedlings exposed to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium showed combined toxic effects on root growth, fresh and dry weight, and antioxidant enzyme activities, with combined exposure producing greater oxidative damage than either pollutant alone. The study highlights synergistic phytotoxicity in a staple crop relevant to food security in microplastic-contaminated paddy soils.
Phenotypic and Physiological Responses of Rice Seedlings to Co-Exposure of Polystyrene Microplastics and Heavy Metals
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Scientists found that microplastics in soil don't just add their own contamination risk to crops like rice, they can actually change how toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium affect the plant, making cadmium's harm milder but making lead's harm worse. This matters because farmland is increasingly exposed to both microplastics and heavy metal pollution together, and this study suggests we can't predict crop safety by looking at these contaminants separately, their combined effects are more complex and need further research to understand how they might impact the food we eat.
Effects of microplastics and cadmium on the soil-wheat system as single and combined contaminants
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Researchers found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics combined with cadmium reduced wheat chlorophyll concentrations and affected soil-plant systems differently depending on pollution levels, revealing complex interaction effects between co-contaminants.
Microplastic–Cadmium Interaction in Paddy Soils: An Overlooked Risk Exacerbating Cadmium Contamination in Rice and Microbial Dysbiosis
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in rice paddies make it easier for the toxic metal cadmium to get into rice plants, leading to more contamination in the rice we eat. When microplastics and cadmium are both present in flooded rice fields, rice plants grow less and absorb significantly more of the harmful metal compared to when only cadmium is present. This matters because cadmium can cause serious health problems like kidney damage and cancer, so this research suggests that plastic pollution may be making our rice less safe to eat.
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