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Single and Joint Effects of Imidacloprid and Microplastics on Lettuce Growth
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Researchers exposed lettuce to LDPE microplastics and imidacloprid pesticide individually and in combination, finding co-exposure caused a 68% reduction in fresh weight — far greater than pesticide alone — with effects including leaf browning, stunted roots, and reduced chlorophyll despite unchanged imidacloprid uptake.
Understanding the joint effects of microplastics (MPs) and pesticides in agricultural environments is important, as their co-existence may lead to plant responses distinct from those caused by single-contaminant exposure. This study investigated the individual and joint effects of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) MPs (0–3%) and imidacloprid (0–219 mg kg−1) on lettuce to address current knowledge gaps. Growth parameters, chlorophyll content, and imidacloprid uptake in lettuce were evaluated following a 28-d exposure period. Co-exposure to LDPE MPs and imidacloprid led to a 68% reduction in total fresh weight, compared to a 49% reduction with imidacloprid alone. Combined treatment also significantly decreased root and shoot length, number of leaves, and chlorophyll content, and induced morphological changes such as leaf browning and stunted root development. However, LDPE MPs did not affect imidacloprid uptake, suggesting limited influence of MPs on the bioavailability of imidacloprid under the conditions studied. The results emphasize the intensified harmful effects resulting from co-exposure to pesticides and MPs, highlighting the need for further study on management strategies for these contaminants in agricultural land to ensure the sustainability of agricultural systems.
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An 8-week pot experiment showed that microplastic type, size, and concentration produce species-specific, dose-dependent responses in lettuce and tomato, with tomato reaching 100% mortality at 10% concentration primarily because microplastics disrupted soil water-holding capacity rather than acting as direct chemical toxicants. This physical disruption mechanism means even low microplastic levels in agricultural soils may progressively degrade water availability for crops and threaten food security.
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Researchers demonstrated that HDPE microplastics reduce chlorophyll, phenolic, and proline content in mustard plants (Brassica juncea) and showed — for the first time — that microplastics translocate from roots to leaves via fluorescence and confocal microscopy. This evidence of root-to-shoot microplastic transfer in a food crop raises direct concerns about human dietary exposure through consuming contaminated vegetables grown in plastically polluted agricultural soils.
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Researchers review the emerging evidence on how microplastics accumulate in agricultural soils and affect plant health and development, highlighting that while aquatic impacts are well documented, the effects on terrestrial food crops and soil-plant systems remain poorly understood.
Integrated Impacts of Microplastics Contaminated Compost on Soil–Plant Systems and Bioaccumulation in Lettuce, Tomato, and Radish
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Researchers grew lettuce, tomatoes, and radish in soils amended with four composts of varying microplastic loads, finding that the most contaminated compost reduced early plant growth and resulted in bioaccumulation averaging 118, 81, and 140 microplastic particles per gram dry weight in the respective edible tissues. The study demonstrates that microplastics in compost-amended agricultural soil transfer directly into food crops, posing a direct pathway for human dietary exposure.
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