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Microplastics alleviate phytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles in Ottelia cordata submerged leaves
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Researchers investigated the combined effects of silver nanoparticles and polystyrene microplastics on the aquatic plant Ottelia cordata, finding that microplastics actually alleviated the phytotoxicity of silver nanoparticles by reducing their bioavailability. The results highlight complex antagonistic interactions between co-occurring aquatic contaminants.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are recognized for their high phytotoxicity at elevated concentrations, yet the impacts of microplastics-particularly on plant photosynthesis-remain insufficiently explored. Furthermore, despite growing evidence of co-occurrence of AgNPs and microplastics in aquatic ecosystems, their combined effects on aquatic plants are largely unknown. This study investigates the individual and combined effects of AgNPs and polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on the submerged leaves of Ottelia cordata, aiming to determine whether microplastics alter the phytotoxic response to AgNPs exposure. Exposure to 1 mg/L AgNPs resulted in marked cellular ultrastructural damage, substantial declines in chlorophyll content, bicarbonate utilization, and photosynthetic enzyme activities, collectively impairing photosynthetic performance. In contrast, 10 mg/L PS-MPs exhibited relatively mild toxicity, primarily reducing oxygen exchange rates and the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and pyruvate phosphate dikinase (PPDK), with negligible effects on chloroplast structure or other physiological parameters. Notably, co-exposure to AgNPs and PS-MPs significantly alleviated AgNPs-induced phytotoxicity. This mitigation is likely due to the adsorption of AgNPs onto the surface of PS-MPs, which reduced Ag accumulation in plant tissues and consequently lessened physiological disruptions. Indicators such as chlorophyll content, fluorescence parameters, bicarbonate uptake, and enzymatic activity partially recovered under co-exposure conditions. These findings reveal complex interactions between nanomaterials and microplastics, highlighting that PS-MPs may attenuate the toxicity of AgNPs in aquatic plants. This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of contaminant interactions and underscores the importance of evaluating combined pollutant effects in ecological risk assessments.
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Researchers tested antagonistic interactions between polystyrene nanoplastics and silver nanoparticles on the freshwater green alga Chlorella, finding that combined exposure produced less toxicity than either agent alone, suggesting that plastic particles can sequester silver nanoparticles and reduce their bioavailability.
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Researchers co-exposed three common microplastics — polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene — with silver nanoparticles in natural freshwater and brackish water, finding that their interaction altered the environmental behavior and fate of both contaminants. The results suggest that combined pollution from microplastics and nanomaterials produces effects distinct from either pollutant alone.
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Researchers co-exposed constructed wetlands to polystyrene nanoplastics and silver nanoparticles and found synergistic disruption of the electron transport chain, impaired ATP production, and altered nitrogen transformation, with combined exposure more toxic than either contaminant alone.
Novel insights into the joint phytotoxicity of nanoplastics and silver ions at environmentally relevant concentrations: a dual aggregation-induced emission bioimaging approach
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Researchers used a novel bioimaging technique to investigate how nanoplastics and silver ions together affect plant health at environmentally realistic concentrations. They found that nanoplastics can carry silver ions and deliver them to plant tissues, amplifying the combined toxic effects. The study provides new visual evidence of how nanoplastics act as carriers for heavy metal pollutants, worsening their impact on aquatic organisms.
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