Individual and combined effects of microplastics and oxytetracycline on cherry radish

Abstract Croplands have become a hotspot for antibiotic and microplastic (MP) pollution. However, little is known regarding their combined effects on crops. In this study, the individual and combined effects of oxytetracycline (OTC) and three MPs (i.e., polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), and polyvinylchloride (PVC)) on cherry radish were investigated using pot experiments. Individually, OTC (50 mg kg − 1 ), PA (2%, w/w), and PP (2%, w/w) induced negligible effects on cherry radish biomass and the root/shoot ratio. However, PVC (2%, w/w) significantly inhibited cherry radish growth; that is, its shoot and root fresh weight decreased by 46.2% and 81.1%, respectively. Compared to the control, the leaf number decreased significantly after exposure to individual MPs. In the combined exposure groups, OTC alleviated the adverse effects of PVC on the cherry radish leaf number and shoot fresh weight. This was linked to that OTC increased the content of photosynthetic pigments in cherry radish leaves. Superoxide dismutase activity in cherry radish roots was inhibited to different extents in all treatment groups except for the PA and PVC treatments. Meanwhile, malondialdehyde (MDA) content in cherry radish roots increased in all treatment groups compared to that in the control. This suggested that both OTC and MPs caused oxidative damage to cherry radish root cells, therefore inhibiting cherry radish root growth. However, the presence of OTC nonsignificantly changed the effects of MPs on cherry radish roots. Irrespective of OTC presence, MPs induced a reduction in the root/shoot ratio of cherry radish, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of MPs on cherry radish roots was stronger than that on shoots. These findings contributed to the evaluation of the phytotoxicity of antibiotics and MPs in soil-vegetable systems.