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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Polystyrene microplastics facilitate the chemical journey of phthalates through vegetable and aggravate phytotoxicity
ClearDynamics of accumulation and multilevel biological effects of various alkyl chain phthalates and microplastics in rye: New insights into individual, physiological, and molecular perspectives
Researchers studied the combined toxicity of three phthalate esters with different alkyl chain lengths and polystyrene microplastics on rye plants, finding that MP presence amplified the phytotoxicity of longer-chain phthalates. The results demonstrate that microplastics can act as carriers that enhance the uptake and toxicity of co-occurring chemical contaminants in crops.
Determination of extractable pollutants from microplastics to vegetables: Accumulation and incorporation into the food chain
Researchers developed a method to detect plastic-related chemical compounds that leach into vegetables, finding that root vegetables contained higher levels of these contaminants than non-root varieties. The study identified 16 quantifiable plastic-associated compounds in the samples, including potentially harmful substances like styrene and phthalates. The findings raise concerns about how microplastics in soil may introduce chemical pollutants into the food chain through crop uptake.
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.
Carrier effects of microplastics in a hydroponic system: Amplifying diethyl phthalate toxicity and endophytic dysbiosis in Rye (Secale cereale L.) with implications for aquatic ecosystems
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics and diethyl phthalate (a common plasticizer) interact synergistically to cause severe toxicity in hydroponically grown rye, far exceeding the damage from either pollutant alone. The study revealed a bidirectional mechanism where microplastics adsorb the plasticizer while the plasticizer enhances microplastic uptake by roots, leading to photosynthetic collapse and disrupted endophytic microbial communities.
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.
Synergistic modulation of Lead (II) bioavailability by polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and insights into assimilation kinetics in Canna indica
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in soil can make plants absorb up to 250% more lead, a toxic heavy metal that's harmful to humans. This happens because the plastic pieces act like a delivery system, carrying more lead into plants that we might eventually eat. This research suggests that areas with plastic pollution in the soil could pose greater health risks than previously thought, especially for crops grown in contaminated areas.
Effects of polyethylene microplastic on the phytotoxicity of di-n-butyl phthalate in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. ramosa Hort)
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics interact with the chemical pollutant di-n-butyl phthalate in lettuce and found that microplastics altered the plant's response to the toxin. The combination reduced photosynthesis, lowered chlorophyll content, and disrupted the plant's antioxidant defenses. The study highlights that microplastics in soil can change how plants respond to other contaminants, potentially compounding environmental harm.
Impacts of microplastics on terrestrial plants: A critical review
This review examines how microplastics affect land-based plants, finding that they can alter soil structure, disrupt beneficial soil microbes, and reduce plant growth. Microplastics also carry toxic chemicals like plasticizers and heavy metals that can be taken up by plant roots and enter the food chain. The findings raise concerns about human health since contaminated crops could be a hidden source of microplastic and chemical exposure in our diets.
Toxicity orchestrated by alkyl chain length of plasticizers and exposure time: Transfer mechanisms of microplastic-plasticizer co-contamination across the full life cycle of rye
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics combined with phthalate plasticizers of different chain lengths affect rye plants through both short-term and long-term experiments. Short-chain phthalates caused the strongest toxicity in hydroponic conditions, while long-chain DEHP combined with microplastics produced the greatest long-term damage, reducing grain weight by 38% and causing microplastic accumulation in seeds.
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.
Effect of polyethylene particles on dibutyl phthalate toxicity in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).
Polyethylene microplastic fragments in soil reduced the uptake of the plasticizer chemical dibutyl phthalate (DBP) into lettuce roots but worsened its inhibitory effects on root growth. The complex interactions between microplastics and co-occurring chemical contaminants like phthalates can alter toxicity in unexpected ways, affecting both plant growth and the safety of food crops.
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.
Microplastic Uptake in Vegetables: Sources, Mechanisms, Transport and Food Safety
This review gathered current knowledge on how microplastics enter agricultural soils and get taken up by vegetable crops, which are a major part of the human diet. Researchers found that microplastics can be absorbed through plant roots and transported to edible parts, with uptake influenced by particle size, plastic type, and soil conditions. The study highlights the need for more research on how microplastic contamination in food crops could affect human health and food safety.
Microplastics in Mediterranean Agricultural Soils: Effects on Soil Properties, Metal Accumulation in Plants, and Implications for Sustainable Agroecosystems
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in soil make it easier for toxic metals like lead and zinc to move into plants we might eat. Even small amounts of microplastics changed how metals behave in the soil, with some types of plastic causing up to 20% more metal absorption in plants. This matters because these contaminated plants could end up in our food supply, potentially increasing our exposure to harmful metals.
Uptake and bioaccumulation of microplastics by plants: Exploring impacts and remediation potential in terrestrial and aquatic environment
This review examined how plants take up and accumulate microplastics from contaminated soil, finding that plastics can disrupt soil microbial communities, reduce nutrient availability, and impair plant growth. The uptake of microplastics by edible crops raises concerns about food chain transfer to humans, since the particles can carry toxic pollutants like persistent organic compounds and heavy metals.
Assessing the impact of micro and nanoplastics on the productivity of vegetable crops in terrestrial horticulture: a comprehensive review
This review summarizes research on how micro and nanoplastics accumulate in farmland and get absorbed by vegetable crops through their roots, building up in the edible parts of the plants. The plastic particles cause toxic effects that stunt plant growth by disrupting cellular processes and gene activity. This means the vegetables people eat may contain microplastics picked up from contaminated soil.
Effects of microplastics and combined pollution of polystyrene and di-n-octyl phthalate on photosynthesis of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)
Researchers studied how different types of microplastics and a common plastic plasticizer affect photosynthesis in cucumber plants. They found that the combination of polystyrene microplastics and the plasticizer had the most severe impact, reducing chlorophyll production and damaging the photosynthetic machinery. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in agricultural soils, especially combined with chemical additives that leach from plastics, could meaningfully impair crop growth.
A Critical Review of Polystyrene Microplastics in Soil–Plant Systems: Absorption, Phytotoxicity and Future Perspectives
This review compiled evidence on how polystyrene microplastics behave in soil-plant systems, covering their effects on soil microbial communities, plant root uptake, and crop phytotoxicity. The authors document that PS-MPs alter soil biochemistry and enter plant tissues, raising concerns about their accumulation in the food chain.
The Combined Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics and Arsenate on Lettuce Under Hydroponic Conditions
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics and arsenic together caused more harm to lettuce than either pollutant alone, reducing root growth and chlorophyll content by up to 71%. The arsenic actually helped microplastics penetrate deeper into plant tissue, and the combination made the soil around roots more acidic. This study is important because it shows that microplastics in farm soil can worsen the effects of other contaminants on food crops.
Nanoplastic impacts on the foliar uptake, metabolism and phytotoxicity of phthalate esters in corn (Zea mays L.) plants
Researchers investigated how amino-functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics affect the foliar uptake, metabolism, and toxicity of phthalate esters in corn seedlings. The study found that nanoplastics increased the accumulation of phthalate esters in leaves and altered their metabolic pathways within the plant. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution may amplify the phytotoxicity of co-occurring chemical pollutants in agricultural settings.