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Mechanistic insights into polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) mediated imbalance of redox homeostasis and disruption of antioxidant defense system leading to oxidative stress in black mustard (Brassica nigra L.)
Summary
Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect black mustard seedlings and found that exposure led to reduced plant height, lower biomass, and damaged cell membranes. The nanoplastics disrupted the plants' antioxidant defense systems, causing an imbalance in their ability to manage oxidative stress. The study highlights that nanoplastic pollution in soil could pose a meaningful threat to crop growth and plant health.
Mismanagement and indiscriminate discharge of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) into environment present a significant hazard to the ecological receptors including plants. The present study aims to evaluate the impact of PSNPs on black mustard (Brassica nigra L.) seedlings. High dose of PSNPs (100 mg kg soil) was applied and seedling growth performances were monitored at 7th and 14th day of treatment. Key stress responses of PSNPs exposed seedlings include decline in plant height and biomass, high membrane damage, reduced content of photosynthetic pigments, and increased ROS generation. Manifestation of noticeable dark brown and deep blue spots on leaves and roots following DAB and NBT staining respectively indicate strong oxidative burst in PSNPs challenged plants. Reduced growth of primary roots in PSNPs stressed seedlings might be associated with downregulation of MAIL1 and RML1. Translocation of PSNPs from root-to-stem may result from upregulation of aquaporin transporters PIP2;3, NIP2;1. Furthermore, upregulation of PIP2;3 might facilitate transmembrane diffusion of HO in roots as evident after DAB staining. Isolated increase in MDAR expression at 14th day of treatment might be inefficient to sustain AsA pool due to concomitant downregulation of APX and DHAR in stressed roots. Moreover, decrease in GR expression coupled with low GSH/GSSG ratio rendered PSNPs cells to recycle glutathione pool inefficiently, which could have made them more vulnerable to PSNPs. Over all, disruption of cellular redox homeostasis owing to deregulation of antioxidant defense system leading to severe oxidative burst is the primary cause of meager performance of black mustard seedlings under PSNPs stress. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: The study provides a new insight into the impact of PSNPs in black mustard. Exposure to high PSNPs concentration disrupts redox homeostasis, photosynthesis, growth, and induces oxidative stress in black mustard seedlings. The altered gene expression related to root development and antioxidant defense suggests potential long-term effect to crop resilience and soil-plant interactions. The uptake and translocation of PSNPs within plant tissues suggests potential entry into food chain, posing risks to human health. Therefore, urgent regulatory measures need to be taken to control the production of plastic waste, improve soil health, and create sustainable goals (SDG 2, 12, 15) to minimize PSNPs contamination in agroecosystems.
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