Papers

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Article Tier 2

Association between plant microbiota and cadmium uptake under the influence of microplastics with different particle sizes

Researchers investigated how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics affect plant microbiota and cadmium uptake in pakchoi. The study found that larger microplastic particles (2 and 20 micrometers) significantly altered rhizosphere and root bacterial communities and influenced cadmium accumulation, while smaller particles (0.2 micrometers) had less impact on bacterial community structure.

2024 Environment International 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Different effects and mechanisms of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on the uptake of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) by lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect the uptake of heavy metals by lettuce grown in contaminated soil. They found that nanoplastics increased the accumulation of copper and zinc in lettuce leaves, while microplastics had the opposite effect for some metals. The study reveals that plastic particle size plays a critical role in determining whether microplastics worsen or reduce heavy metal contamination in food crops.

2022 Environmental Pollution 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of cadmium on polystyrene transport in parsley roots planted in a split-root system and assessment of the combined toxic effects

Researchers used a split-root system to study how cadmium affects the movement of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics in parsley plants. They found that plastic nanoparticles traveled through the plant's internal transport system from contaminated roots to clean roots, but cadmium reduced this movement by changing the plastics' surface charge. The study shows that in contaminated soil, heavy metals and microplastics interact in complex ways that affect how much plastic ends up in edible crops.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced Cadmium Adsorption Dynamics in Water and Soil by Polystyrene Microplastics and Biochar

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics and biochar interact with cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, in water and soil systems. They found that particle size significantly influenced how much cadmium was adsorbed, with the combination of microplastics and biochar creating complex dynamics that affected metal mobility. The findings matter because microplastics in agricultural soils may alter how toxic metals move through the environment and into food crops.

2024 Nanomaterials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Co-Contamination of Microplastics and Cd on Plant Growth and Cd Accumulation

Researchers investigated how two types of microplastics, high-density polyethylene and polystyrene, at various concentrations affect cadmium uptake and toxicity in maize plants grown in agricultural soil. The study found that while polyethylene alone had no significant effect, polystyrene at higher doses altered cadmium accumulation patterns, suggesting that different plastic types may interact differently with heavy metals in soil.

2020 Toxics 239 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and ecotoxicity of microplastics of different particle sizes in crop species

Researchers exposed seedlings of three crop species to small (0.2 µm) and large (1.0 µm) polystyrene beads and found that particle size did not affect fresh weight, but smaller particles caused significantly greater root length inhibition in cucumber compared to bean and sorghum.

2025 NanoImpact
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and cadmium co-contamination on soil properties, maize (Zea mays L.) growth characteristics, and cadmium accumulation in maize in loessial soil-maize systems

Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and cadmium on soil properties and maize growth through pot experiments. They found that microplastics altered soil nutrient availability and, depending on size and concentration, either increased or decreased cadmium uptake by the plants. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can change how crops absorb toxic heavy metals, with potential implications for food safety.

2024 Environmental Pollution 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polystyrene on di-butyl phthalate (DBP) bioavailability and DBP-induced phytotoxicity in lettuce

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes affect the bioavailability of the plasticizer di-butyl phthalate and its toxicity to lettuce plants. They found that smaller nanoscale polystyrene particles increased DBP uptake by the plants, while larger particles reduced it by adsorbing the chemical. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers for harmful chemicals in agricultural soils, with particle size determining whether they amplify or reduce pollutant exposure to crops.

2020 Environmental Pollution 149 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics addition reduced the toxicity and uptake of cadmium to Brassica chinensis L.

Researchers studied how the presence of microplastics in soil affects the toxicity and uptake of cadmium, a harmful heavy metal, by Chinese cabbage plants. They found that microplastics actually reduced cadmium accumulation in the plants by adsorbing the metal onto their surfaces, effectively lowering its availability in the soil. While this reduced cadmium toxicity to the plants, the study notes that microplastics themselves may introduce other environmental risks.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 102 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in soils with contrasting texture, organic carbon and mineralogy: changes in cadmium adsorption forms and their mobility in soil columns

This study investigated how high-density polyethylene microplastics alter the behavior of cadmium — a toxic heavy metal — in soils with different textures, organic carbon contents, and mineral compositions. Using soil column experiments, researchers found that microplastics changed how cadmium binds to soil particles and how easily it leaches downward, with effects varying depending on the soil type and microplastic particle size. Since cadmium is a known carcinogen and agricultural soils commonly contain both microplastics and heavy metals, understanding their interactions is critical for food safety.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics alter cadmium accumulation in different soil-plant systems: Revealing the crucial roles of soil bacteria and metabolism

A study found that microplastics in soil can change how much cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, is absorbed by food crops, with the effects varying depending on soil type and the amount of plastic present. By altering soil chemistry and bacterial communities, microplastics reshape how pollutants move through farmland and into the food we eat.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of microplastics types and size on soil properties and cadmium adsorption in paddy soil after one rice season

Researchers grew rice in paddy soil amended with polyethylene, polyacrylonitrile, and PET microplastics of varying sizes and found that microplastic type and particle size significantly altered soil properties and cadmium adsorption capacity, with smaller particles generally having greater effects.

2022 Resources Environment and Sustainability 30 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on the Growth and Quality of Brassica campestris L. in a Three-season Consecutive Cultivation].

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of four particle size fractions (under 25, 25-48, 48-150, and 150-850 micrometers) affect the growth, development, and nutrient quality of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L.) across three consecutive cultivation seasons in pot experiments, finding significant size-dependent inhibitory effects on plant growth and soil nutrient supply.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on arsenic uptake and distribution in rice seedlings

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect arsenic uptake in rice seedlings grown in a hydroponic system. They found that nanoplastics (82 nm) increased arsenic accumulation in rice leaves by 12 to 37 percent, while larger microplastics (200 nm) reduced it. The study suggests that the size of plastic particles plays an important role in determining how they influence heavy metal uptake in crop plants, with implications for food safety.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Impact of polystyrene microplastics on cadmium uptake in corn (Zea mays L.) in a cadmium‐contaminated calcareous soil

This study found that polystyrene microplastics in soil increased the uptake of the toxic heavy metal cadmium in corn plants. The research showed that microplastic contamination in agricultural soil can make crops absorb more harmful substances. This is a direct concern for food safety, as microplastics in farmland could increase our exposure to heavy metals through the food we eat.

2023 Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and distribution of microplastics of different particle sizes in maize (Zea mays) seedling roots

Researchers studied how maize seedling roots take up polystyrene microplastic beads of different sizes and found that smaller particles were absorbed more readily than larger ones. Particles as small as 0.2 micrometers were detected in both roots and shoots, with the root tip being the primary uptake zone. The findings confirm that microplastics can enter food crops through their root systems, raising questions about food safety.

2022 Chemosphere 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Presence of polystyrene microplastics in Cd contaminated water promotes Cd removal by nano zero-valent iron and ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.)

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect cadmium removal from water by ryegrass combined with nano zero-valent iron variants, finding that microplastics facilitated uptake of both microplastics and cadmium into plant roots in some treatment combinations. Plants that internalized microplastics contained more cadmium across all nano zero-valent iron treatments, suggesting microplastics can enhance cadmium accumulation in phytoremediation systems.

2022 Chemosphere 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics increase cadmium absorption and impair nutrient uptake and growth in red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) in the presence of cadmium and biochar

This study tested how three common microplastic types affect a leafy vegetable (red amaranth) when combined with the toxic heavy metal cadmium. Polystyrene microplastics were especially harmful, increasing cadmium uptake by up to 158% while reducing the plant's ability to absorb essential nutrients like phosphorus and potassium -- meaning microplastics in farmland could make heavy metal contamination in food crops even worse.

2024 BMC Plant Biology 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of coexisting aged polystyrene microplastics on the ecological and health risks of cadmium in soils: A leachability and oral bioaccessibility based study

This study tested whether the presence of aged microplastics in soil changes how easily the toxic heavy metal cadmium can enter the human body through accidental soil ingestion. The results showed that aged polystyrene microplastics actually reduced cadmium absorption in the stomach phase, though the effect varied by soil type. This suggests that the interaction between microplastics and other pollutants in soil creates a complicated picture for assessing human health risks.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity and fate of cadmium in hydroponically cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) influenced by microplastics

Researchers found that PVC microplastics changed how lettuce plants absorb the toxic heavy metal cadmium when both were present in the growing water. The microplastics initially absorbed cadmium from the water but then altered the plant's uptake patterns, affecting where the metal accumulated in roots versus leaves. This matters because microplastics in agricultural water could change how toxic metals end up in the edible parts of vegetables people eat.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics distinctly impact cadmium uptake and toxicity in Arabidopsis thaliana

In a study using the model plant Arabidopsis, polystyrene nanoplastics increased the uptake and accumulation of the toxic heavy metal cadmium in plant roots. The combined stress of nanoplastics and cadmium caused worse oxidative damage and growth problems than either pollutant alone. This is concerning because it means microplastics in agricultural soil could help toxic metals get into crops more easily, potentially increasing human exposure through food.

2024 Environmental Pollution 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics induce alterations in soil structure and hydrodynamics: A critical factor controlling cadmium transport in karst soils

Researchers used soil column leaching experiments to investigate how microplastics influence cadmium transport in karst carbonate-weathered soils, testing different MP sizes and concentrations alongside controls. They found MPs generally enhanced Cd migration by altering soil pore structure and increasing porosity, though at smaller sizes (10-15 micrometres) and higher concentrations (3%) MPs paradoxically inhibited Cd migration, revealing that pore structure modification is the primary mechanism controlling co-contaminant transport.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the soil-plant system: Phytotoxicity, Cd accumulation and microbial activity

Researchers tested how different microplastic types combined with cadmium affect plant growth and soil health. Aged and biodegradable microplastics increased cadmium uptake in mustard greens more than fresh conventional plastics did. The study also found that microplastics altered soil microbial activity, suggesting that plastic pollution in farmland could change how plants absorb toxic metals from contaminated soil.

2023 Environmental Pollution 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure of polystyrene microplastics influence cadmium trophic transfer along the “lettuce-snail” food chain: Focus on leaf age and the chemical fractionations of Cd in lettuce

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics altered cadmium accumulation and trophic transfer along the lettuce-snail food chain, with effects varying by leaf age and the chemical fractionation of cadmium in lettuce tissues.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 9 citations