We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polymer nanoparticles pass the plant interface
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used well-defined polymer nanoparticles of varying surface chemistry to investigate whether plants can take up nanoplastic-sized particles through their roots. They found that nanoparticles with certain surface properties could cross the plant interface, suggesting that nanoplastics in soil may be taken up by crops.
Abstract As agriculture strives to feed an ever-increasing number of people, it must adapt to cope with climate change. It is also clear that our biosphere is suffering from an increasing burden of anthropogenic waste which includes minute plastic particles. It is not yet known whether plants will accumulate such micro- and nanoplastic materials, nor how their surface properties might influence uptake. Therefore, we prepared well-defined block copolymer nanoparticles with a range of different sizes (D h = 20 - 100 nm) and surface chemistries by aqueous dispersion polymerisation using different functional macro chain transfer agents. A BODIPY fluorophore was then incorporated via hydrazone formation and uptake of these fluorescent nanoparticles into intact roots and protoplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated using confocal microscopy. Where uptake was seen, it was inversely proportional to nanoparticle size. Positively charged particles accumulated around root surfaces and were not taken up by roots or protoplasts, whereas negatively charged nanoparticles accumulated slowly in protoplasts and roots, becoming prominent over time in the xylem of intact roots. Neutral nanoparticles exhibited early, rapid penetration into plant roots and protoplasts, but lower xylem loads relative to the negative nanoparticles. These behaviours differ from those recorded in animal cells and our results show that, despite robust cell walls, plants are vulnerable to nanoplastic particles in the water and soil. The data form both a platform for understanding plastic waste in the farmed environment, and may also be used constructively for the design of precision delivery systems for crop protection products. Significance Statement Sustainable food production must keep pace with the growing global population, as well as adapt to climate change and other anthropogenic insults. It has become clear that micro-and nanoscale plastics are accumulating in all parts of the biosphere and we have set out to study how vulnerable plants are to such waste. We show that the size and surface properties of the designed plastics significantly affect both their speed of uptake and distribution within intact roots. Crucially, it is clear that rigid cell walls around plant cells are no barrier to the smallest particles and these pass into the plant’s vasculature. Our results relate to plastic waste but can also be used to develop precision vehicles for crop protection.
More Papers Like This
Polymer nanoparticles pass the plant interface
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers created well-defined fluorescent polymer nanoparticles and tracked their uptake into the roots and cells of Arabidopsis plants using microscopy. They found that smaller nanoparticles were taken up more efficiently than larger ones, with particles entering through the root system. The study provides direct evidence that nanoplastics can cross plant cell barriers, which has implications for understanding how plastic pollution may enter the food chain through crops.
Effects of particle size and surface chemistry on plastic nanoparticle transport in saturated natural porous media.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how the size and surface chemistry of plastic nanoparticles affect how they move through soil and are taken up by plants. They found that smaller particles and those with certain surface charges moved more readily through soil and were more likely to enter plant roots. The results indicate that nanoplastic contamination of agricultural soils could lead to plant uptake and potential transfer into the food chain.
Plastic and plants
AI summary Read the abstract
A study found a mechanism by which nanoplastics can enter plant roots, raising concerns about whether plastic particles in soil could accumulate in food crops. This highlights a potential pathway for nanoplastics to reach the food supply through agricultural uptake.
Fate of plastic nanoparticles (PNPs) in soil and plant systems: Current status & research gaps
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examined the fate of plastic nanoparticles in soil and plant systems, highlighting how nanoparticles can be taken up by plant roots, translocated through tissues, and potentially enter the food chain, while identifying critical research gaps in toxicity assessment.
Mechanistic insights into the effects of micro- and nano-plastics on cherry radish physiology and organic compound distribution at the soil-root interface.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed cherry radish to polyethylene microplastics (2 µm) and nanoplastics (200 nm) at varying concentrations and measured effects on plant physiology and organic compound distribution at the soil-root interface. Smaller nanoplastic particles caused greater disruption to root exudate chemistry and plant metabolism than the larger microplastics, pointing to a size-dependent toxicity mechanism.
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.