We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Humic Acid Alleviates the Toxicity of Nanoplastics towards Solanum lycopersicum
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that humic acid forms an eco-corona around polystyrene nanoplastics that significantly alleviates their toxicity to tomato seedlings, with coronated nanoplastics showing improved germination rates and plant growth compared to bare nanoplastics, suggesting natural organic matter plays a protective role in agricultural soils.
Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging pollutants that contaminate agricultural produce. The present study investigates the impact of polystyrene (PS) and humic acid (HA) individually and in combination on the germination and growth of seeds of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). Here we report the formation of eco-corona upon the interaction of PS with humic acid at 24 h with a significant increase in hydrodynamic size. Seed germination, plant growth, and chlorophyll content increased in the coronated PS. In addition, we report that the treatment of seeds with PS + HA resulted in the germination of 90% of seeds, while treatment with only PS resulted in the germination of only 65.8% of seeds. A quantitative analysis of chlorophyll (a, b, and a + b) revealed that HA-treated groups and PS + HA-treated groups showed significantly high chlorophyll (a, b, and a + b) contents of (PS: 3.48 mg g−1, 2.12 mg g−1, and 4.19 mg g−1, HA: 5.76 mg g−1, 3.88 mg g−1, and 6.41 mg g−1, PS + HA: 4.17 mg g−1, 3.23 mg g−1, and 6.58 mg g−1)respectively compared to PS treated groups. Similarly, ROS levels were comparatively low in HA and PS + HA-treated groups than in only-PS-treated groups. Furthermore, we observed a decline in the level of antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase and catalase) activity in HA and PS + HA treated groups than that in only-PS treated groups. The results indicate that HA significantly reduces PS-induced toxicity and improves germination and growth of seeds of Solanum lycopersicum; the corresponding reduction in toxic effects may be due to eco-corona formation on the PS. We understand that eco-corona is a way to protect plants from xenobiotics concerning nanoplastics.
More Papers Like This
The Effect of Humic Acid and Polystyrene Fluorescence Nanoplastics on Solanum lycopersicum Environmental Behavior and Phytotoxicity
AI summary Read the abstract
Exposure of tomato seedlings to polystyrene fluorescent nanoplastics (100 nm) with and without humic acid showed that humic acid formed an eco-corona on nanoplastic surfaces, increasing their hydrodynamic size. The combination of nanoplastics and humic acid affected seed germination and plant growth more than either alone, demonstrating how environmental organic matter modifies nanoplastic behavior.
Organic fertilizer mitigated the oxidative stress of tomato induced by nanoplastics through affecting rhizosphere soil microorganisms and bacteriophage functions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated whether organic fertilizer could protect tomato plants from the harmful effects of nanoplastics in soil. They found that organic fertilizer reduced oxidative stress in tomato stems by roughly 25-35% compared to chemical fertilizer, primarily by boosting beneficial soil bacteria and bacteriophage activity in the root zone. The study suggests that organic farming practices may help buffer crops against nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Nano-sized polystyrene plastics toxicity to microalgae Chlorella vulgaris: Toxicity mitigation using humic acid
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris to amino-functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics and found significant toxicity to biomass and chlorophyll, but adding humic acid — a natural organic matter component — substantially reduced toxicity by coating the nanoplastics' positively charged surfaces and preventing their electrostatic attraction to algal cell walls.
A Review of Eco-Corona Formation on Micro/Nanoplastics and Its Effects on Stability, Bioavailability, and Toxicity
AI summary Read the abstract
When microplastics and nanoplastics enter water, natural substances like humic acid coat their surfaces, forming what scientists call an "eco-corona." This coating changes how the plastic particles behave, including how they clump together and how easily organisms absorb them. Importantly, the eco-corona can actually reduce some of the toxic effects of these plastic particles, such as growth problems and oxidative stress.
Alleviating binary toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and atrazine to Chlorella vulgaris through humic acid interaction: Long-term toxicity using environmentally relevant concentrations
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that when nanoplastics and the herbicide atrazine were combined in water, they had a synergistic toxic effect on algae that was worse than either pollutant alone. However, adding humic acid, a natural substance found in soil and water, significantly reduced this combined toxicity by coating the nanoplastics and changing their surface properties. This suggests that natural organic matter in the environment may offer some protection against the harmful effects of nanoplastic-chemical mixtures.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.