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Combined Phytotoxicity of Microplastics andLead on the Growth and Physio-BiochemicalCharacteristics of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
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Researchers grew tobacco plants in soil contaminated with both polyethylene microplastics and lead, finding that the combination caused greater damage to photosynthesis and plant growth than either pollutant alone, while microplastics partially reduced how much lead roots absorbed. The study shows that microplastic and heavy metal co-contamination — increasingly common in agricultural soils — poses compounding risks to crop health.
Microplastic and heavy metal contaminants have attracted global concern due to their ubiquitous presence and long-lasting persistence, yet little is known about their interactions on plant growth performance.Here, different concentrations of polyethylene (PE)-microplastics (MPs) and lead (Pb) were applied to soils to investigate their impacts on tobacco plants.Our results showed that tobacco plants grown in PE-MP-and Pb-contaminated soils displayed a significant reduction in leaf pigment content, photosynthetic efficiency, and plant biomass, as well as a remarkable increase in the contents of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide ions, and malondialdehyde.The Pb contents in plant roots decreased from 886 mg kg -1 to 765 mg kg -1 with increasing concentrations of PE-MPs, while the leaf Pb concentrations remained unaffected.The impaired photosynthetic performance in tobacco leaves was attributed to Pb stress, causing stomatal closure and PE-MP-induced nonstomatal limitation.Moreover, the coexistence of PE-MPs and Pb damaged the PSII reaction center, disturbed the electron transport process, and reduced photosynthetic efficiency.To alleviate oxidative damage, the contents of proline and soluble sugar, along with the antioxidant enzyme activities, underwent a significant increase in tobacco plants.This work offers valuable insights for addressing the challenges posed by the emergence of contaminants in agricultural production.
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An Impact Of Microplastic And Microplastic + Lead Induced Toxicity On Growth Parameters And Chlorophyll Content Of Tomato Plant: (Comparison Study)
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Researchers grew tomato plants in soil spiked with polyethylene microplastics alone and combined with lead nitrate at multiple concentrations to compare their toxicity. Both treatments reduced shoot length, fresh and dry weight, and chlorophyll content in a dose-dependent manner, with the combined microplastic-plus-lead treatment causing more severe harm than either pollutant alone.
Impact of Microplstic and Lead Toxicity on the Terrestrial Plants: a Critical Review
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This review examines the toxic effects of microplastics and lead on terrestrial plants, synthesizing evidence that MPs modify soil physicochemical properties and enzymatic activity while lead disrupts root and shoot biomass, leaf development, and growth tolerance. Combined microplastic-lead exposure is found to be more damaging than either stressor alone, with implications for agricultural productivity in contaminated soils.
Effects of Microplastics and Cd/Pb Co-Contamination on Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Growth and Antioxidant Systems
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Scientists studying tobacco plants grown in soil contaminated with both microplastics and toxic metals (cadmium and lead) found something surprising: small amounts of microplastic actually helped plants cope with the metals, while large amounts made things much worse, allowing more cadmium to build up in the leaves and stunting plant growth. This matters because microplastics and heavy metals are increasingly common in farmland together, and this research suggests their combined effects on food crops aren't simple — high pollution levels could mean more toxic metals ending up in the plants we eat or use, potentially increasing human exposure.
Interactive effects of polystyrene microplastics and Pb on growth and phytochemicals in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.)
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Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and lead on mung bean plants. They found that when both pollutants were present together, the damage was more severe, reducing plant weight, impairing photosynthesis, and disrupting chlorophyll production and enzyme activity. The study suggests that microplastics and heavy metals can interact to create amplified harmful effects on crop plants in contaminated agricultural environments.
Coupled effects of microplastics and heavy metals on plants: Uptake, bioaccumulation, and environmental health perspectives
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This review examines how microplastics and heavy metals work together to harm plants when both are present in soil. Microplastics can absorb heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic, and when plants take up these contaminated particles, the combined toxic effect is worse than either pollutant alone. This is concerning for human health because crops grown in contaminated soil could carry both microplastics and concentrated heavy metals into the food supply.
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