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Aquatic vascular plants – A forgotten piece of nature in microplastic research
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Aquatic vascular plants accumulate microplastics on their surfaces through electrostatic attraction, leaf morphology, and periphyton, and these retained particles can be easily ingested by herbivores. The authors argue that plants are an overlooked but important pathway by which microplastics enter freshwater food webs, and deserve more research attention.
Research on the interaction of microplastics and aquatic organisms has been mainly focused on the evaluation of various impacts on animals while aquatic vascular plants have been so far understudied. In this commentary, we summarized knowledge about interactions of microplastics with aquatic vascular plants and highlighted potential ecological implications. Based on recent research, microplastics have minimal impacts on plants. However, they are strongly attracted to plant tissues, adsorbed, and accumulated by plants. Several mechanisms drive microplastics adsorption and accumulation; the most possibly electrostatic forces, leaf morphology, and presence of periphyton belong among the most important ones. Adsorbed microplastics on plant tissues are easily ingested by herbivores. Plants can thus represent a viable pathway for microplastics to enter aquatic food webs. On the other hand, the strong interactions of microplastics with plants could be used for their phytostabilization and final removal from the environment. Aquatic vascular plants have thus an important role in the behavior and fate of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems, and therefore, they should also be included in the future microplastic research.
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Leaf morphology affects microplastic entrapment efficiency in freshwater macrophytes
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Researchers found that leaf morphology significantly affects the ability of freshwater macrophytes (aquatic plants) to trap microplastics, with leaf shape and surface texture influencing particle capture efficiency. The findings suggest that aquatic vegetation plays an underappreciated role in microplastic retention and transport in freshwater ecosystems.
Accumulation and re-distribution of microplastics via aquatic plants and macroalgae - A review of field studies
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This review summarizes field studies on microplastic accumulation in aquatic plants and macroalgae, finding that these primary producers can intercept and redistribute microplastics in aquatic ecosystems but have received far less research attention than animals.
The effects of microplastics size and type on entrapment by freshwater macrophytes under vertical and lateral deposition
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Researchers investigated how microplastic particle size and polymer type affect entrapment by freshwater macrophytes, finding that certain aquatic plant species preferentially intercepted specific particle sizes and that plant morphology determined capture efficiency across MPs of varying dimensions.
Macrophyte Beds as Microplastic Traps in Freshwater Environment
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Researchers investigated how freshwater macrophyte beds trap microplastic particles, finding that plant morphology, particle density, and the adhesive properties of periphyton biofilms all contribute to retention rates ranging from 22% to 100% depending on species and particle type.
Aquatic Plant Mediates Microplastic Bioavailability in Herbivorous Freshwater Fish
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Researchers found that aquatic plants mediate microplastic bioavailability to herbivorous freshwater fish, detecting microplastics in 82% of Nile tilapia and Redbelly tilapia sampled from an urban lake in Kumamoto, Japan, and linking ingestion pathways to plant consumption.
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.