Papers

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Article Tier 2

Transport Dynamics and Physiological Responses of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safety and Environmental Health

Researchers tracked fluorescently labeled nanoplastics as they traveled through pakchoi (a leafy green vegetable), entering through the roots, moving up through the plant's water-transport system, and accumulating in the leaves. The nanoplastics caused oxidative damage and disrupted plant hormones, demonstrating a clear pathway by which plastic pollution in soil could enter the human food supply through everyday vegetables.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Foliar implications of polystyrene nanoplastics on leafy vegetables and its ecological consequences

Scientists applied polystyrene nanoplastics to four common leafy vegetables and found that the tiny particles accumulated on leaf surfaces, particularly around the pores plants use to breathe. This accumulation reduced the plants' chlorophyll content and ability to photosynthesize, affecting their growth and nutritional quality. The findings raise concerns that airborne nanoplastic pollution could compromise the safety and nutritional value of the vegetables people eat.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of nano/microplastics by rice seedlings: Evidence from a hydroponic experiment

In a hydroponic experiment, researchers showed that both nano-sized (80 nm) and micro-sized (1 micrometer) polystyrene particles were absorbed by rice plant roots and transported up into stems and leaves. The particles traveled through the plant's vascular system and accumulated in cell walls and between cells. This finding is concerning because it demonstrates that microplastics in soil and water can enter food crops like rice and potentially reach people through their diet.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 366 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of polystyrene nanoplastics in edible plants via root and foliar exposure: A qualitative imaging-based study

Researchers examined the uptake and movement of polystyrene nanoplastics in lettuce, carrot, and wheat following root and foliar exposure using confocal and electron microscopy. The study found that nanoplastics were internalized in root, stem, and leaf tissues of all three species, with lettuce showing the most extensive systemic transport including bidirectional movement, raising potential concerns for human exposure through crop consumption.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics' accumulation in roots induces adverse physiological and molecular effects in water spinach Ipomoea aquatica Forsk

Researchers exposed water spinach to polystyrene nanoplastics in a hydroponic experiment and tracked where the particles accumulated in the plant. They found that nanoplastics built up primarily in the roots, causing reduced growth, impaired photosynthesis, and disrupted antioxidant defense systems. The study raises concerns about nanoplastic uptake by edible aquatic vegetables and the potential implications for food safety.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of nanoplastics in mono and dicot vegetables

Researchers investigated the uptake and translocation of nanoplastics in four vegetable species -- pak choi, tomato, radish, and asparagus -- exposing plants to fluorescently labeled poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene particles of 100 to 500 nm with different surface modifications, and using fluorescence microscopy to confirm nanoparticle entry and movement regardless of size or surface chemistry.

2024
Article Tier 2

Internalization, physiological responses and molecular mechanisms of lettuce to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes: Validation of simulated soilless culture

This study found that lettuce plants absorb polystyrene microplastics through their roots and transport them to their leaves, with smaller particles (100 nanometers) moving more easily than larger ones. Both sizes reduced plant growth by roughly 38-48% and triggered stress responses including changes in gene expression. These findings raise food safety concerns since microplastics in soil can accumulate in leafy vegetables that people eat.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Species-Specific Foliar Absorption and Translocation of Nanoplastics in Leafy Vegetables Revealed through Isotopic, Physiological, and Transcriptomic Analyses

Researchers used deuterium-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics to track foliar uptake in three leafy vegetables, finding cherry radish accumulated the highest leaf concentrations (5.1-216.3 µg/g dry weight), with translocation pathways differing by species — roots in cherry radish and lettuce, stems in water spinach — linked to differences in leaf architecture, plant physiology, and stomatal regulation gene expression.

2025 ACS Nano
Article Tier 2

Species-SpecificFoliar Absorption and Translocationof Nanoplastics in Leafy Vegetables Revealed through Isotopic, Physiological,and Transcriptomic Analyses

Researchers used deuterium-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics to track foliar uptake in three leafy vegetables, finding cherry radish accumulated the highest leaf concentrations (5.1-216.3 µg/g dry weight), with translocation pathways differing by species — roots in cherry radish and lettuce, stems in water spinach — linked to leaf architecture, plant physiology, and stomatal regulation gene expression.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Migration pattern and biochemical response characteristics of polylactic acid nanoparticles in pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L. cv. SuZhou) seedlings

Researchers exposed pakchoi seedlings to polylactic acid nanoplastics of different sizes and concentrations in hydroponic solutions. They found that smaller particles at higher concentrations were more readily absorbed by roots and transported to aboveground plant tissues. The nanoplastics caused oxidative stress, reduced antioxidant enzyme activity, and altered chlorophyll and protein content, suggesting that even biodegradable plastic nanoparticles can be harmful to food crops.

2026 Frontiers in Plant Science
Article Tier 2

Quantification of nanoplastic uptake and distribution in the root, stem and leaves of the edible herb Lepidum sativum

Scientists confirmed that 100-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics can be absorbed by the roots of the edible herb garden cress and travel up through the stem into the leaves. At high concentrations, the nanoplastics significantly reduced germination, plant weight, and root growth, though environmentally realistic levels did not cause visible harm. This finding raises food safety concerns because nanoplastics in agricultural soil could end up in the edible parts of plants that people consume.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics during transport and redistribution in distinct plant species: A combined split-root experiment and metabolomic analysis

Researchers used a split-root system to study how polystyrene nanoplastics travel through the root-shoot-root pathway and cause toxicity in cucumber and maize seedlings. The study found that nanoplastics inhibited growth in both exposed and unexposed roots, with cucumber showing greater sensitivity than maize, and metabolomic analysis revealed distinct disruptions in plant metabolism during nanoplastic transport and redistribution.

2026 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of nanoplastics in mono and dicot vegetables

Scientists exposed four different vegetable crops to fluorescent nanoplastics and tracked where the particles ended up in the plants. Nanoplastics were absorbed through the roots and transported to the stems and leaves of all plants tested, including tomatoes, radishes, and leafy greens. This confirms that food crops can take up nanoplastics from contaminated soil and deliver them to the parts of the plant that people eat.

2024 Plant Cell & Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Growth, Physiology, Biochemistry, and Canopy Temperature Characteristics of Chinese Cabbage Pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.)].

Hydroponic experiments showed that polystyrene microplastics at 100 nm and 1,000 nm sizes significantly inhibited the growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient quality of Chinese cabbage while increasing oxidative stress markers and elevating leaf temperature. These findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination poses a direct threat to crop production and food quality, with potential implications for human dietary exposure through contaminated vegetables.

2023 PubMed 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics affect seed germination, cell biology and physiology of rice seedlings in-short term treatments: Evidence of their internalization and translocation

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics were absorbed by rice roots and translocated to shoots, impairing seed germination, seedling growth, and cell division while disrupting reactive oxygen species homeostasis in short-term treatments.

2022 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Insight into the absorption and migration of polystyrene nanoplastics in Eichhornia crassipes and related photosynthetic responses

Researchers studied how water hyacinth plants absorb and transport polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes. Smaller nanoplastics (20 nm) penetrated deeper into root tissue and migrated to leaves, while larger ones (200 nm) mostly stayed in the roots. Both sizes impaired photosynthesis, suggesting that nanoplastic pollution in waterways can harm aquatic plants that play important roles in water purification.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Determining the accumulation potential of nanoplastics in crops: An investigation of 14C-labelled polystyrene nanoplastic into radishes

Researchers used a radioactive labeling technique to track nanoplastics as they moved through radish plants, demonstrating for the first time that these particles can accumulate in edible tissues. About 25% of the nanoplastics absorbed by the roots were found in the edible fleshy root, with another 10% reaching the shoots. The findings highlight a potential pathway for human exposure to nanoplastics through everyday vegetables.

2025 Environmental Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and biochemical effects of polystyrene micro/nano plastics on Arabidopsis thaliana

Experiments on the model plant Arabidopsis showed that polystyrene nano- and microplastics reduced seed germination, stunted growth, lowered chlorophyll levels, and triggered oxidative stress in roots, with smaller particles and higher concentrations causing the most damage. These findings raise concerns about how microplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect crop health and ultimately food production.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 71 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of Organic Fertilizers on the Accumulation and Distribution of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Cotton Plants].

This pot experiment found that cotton plants absorb polystyrene nanoplastics through their roots and transport them into stems, but adding organic fertilizer reduced the amount transferred upward, with most nanoplastics retained in roots. While nanoplastics alone reduced plant growth indicators, organic fertilizer partially offset these negative effects. The results suggest that organic soil amendments could help reduce the uptake and spread of nanoplastics in food crops, which has implications for agricultural food safety.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Nanoparticles in Plants: Uptake, Transport and Physiological Activity in Leaf and Root

This review examines how nanoparticles are absorbed and transported through plant roots and leaves, and how they affect plant growth and health. Understanding nanoparticle uptake by crops is important because similar mechanisms may apply to nanoplastics, meaning tiny plastic particles in soil could potentially enter the food supply through plants.

2023 Materials 386 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Compromise the Nutritional Value of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics accumulated in radish roots and peels, reducing the vegetable's nutritional quality by disrupting its metabolism at the genetic level. When the contaminated radish was put through a simulated human digestion process, the nanoplastics were released and could potentially be absorbed by the body. This study shows how nanoplastics in soil can reduce the nutritional value of crops and create a direct route of human exposure through everyday vegetables.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake of microplastics and impacts on plant traits of savoy cabbage

Researchers found that savoy cabbage plants can absorb polystyrene microplastic particles as small as 0.5 micrometers directly into their cells. Different types and sizes of plastic particles affected plant growth and leaf chemistry in distinct ways, including changes to certain amino acid and defense compound levels. This is concerning because it demonstrates a direct pathway for microplastics to enter the human diet through vegetables.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Translocation of polystyrene nanoplastics in distinct plant species: Novel insight from a split-root system and transcriptomic analysis

Researchers used a split-root system to study how polystyrene nanoplastics move through cucumber and maize plants, finding that the particles travel from roots to shoots via xylem and redistribute back to roots via phloem. Cucumber roots accumulated more nanoplastics than maize, while maize showed greater redistribution from shoots back to roots. The study revealed that aquaporin proteins play a key role in regulating nanoplastic uptake and transport in plants.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Visual tracking of label-free microplastics in wheat seedlings and their effects on crop growth and physiology

Researchers used advanced microscopy to visually track label-free polystyrene microplastics as they moved through wheat seedlings from roots to shoots via the plant's water-transport system. At lower concentrations, the microplastics actually increased water uptake in roots, but at higher concentrations they significantly reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. The study provides direct visual evidence that crop plants can absorb and transport microplastics, with potential consequences for plant health and food safety.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 83 citations