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Freeze–ThawCycles Accelerate Plastic PollutionInvasion in Agriculture: Trojan Horse Effect of Microplastic–PlasticizerContamination Revealed in Rye via Computational Chemistry and Multiomics
Summary
Using hydroponic rye as a model, researchers showed that freeze-thaw cycles dramatically increased diethyl phthalate uptake into plants in the presence of microplastics, with the plasticizer boosting microplastic surface charge and facilitating plant entry. Transcriptomic and computational analyses revealed disruption of gene networks governing growth and stress response.
Climate change-related freeze–thaw (FT) cycles intensify combined contamination from diethyl phthalate (DEP) and microplastics (MPs) in agricultural systems. This study examines their synergistic phytotoxicity in hydroponic rye using multidisciplinary approaches, including physiology, transcriptomics, and computational modeling. FT dramatically increased cocontamination risks. Notably, DEP promoted MP uptake into plants by elevating MP surface chargean effect intensified by FTresulting in disrupted root function and nutrient absorption. Molecular analyses showed that DEP binds strongly to key proteins (e.g., HSP70; ΔG = −7.6 kcal/mol), inhibiting photosynthesis (net rate reduced by 20.1–64.5%) and altering antioxidant activity. MPs adsorbed DEP, reducing its mobility, while simultaneously reshaping the root microbiome to favor DEP-degrading bacteria (e.g., Rhizobium). Transcriptomic changes were observed in stress-responsive and phytohormone pathways. These results demonstrate that FT cycles exacerbate combined pollutant toxicity through surface charge modification, molecular disruption, and microbial community adaptation, offering important insights for assessing ecological risks under climate-induced stressors.