Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Unraveling the toxic mechanisms of microplastics in aquatic ecosystem: A case study on Vallisneria natans and Myriophyllum verticillatum

Researchers exposed two submerged aquatic plant species (Vallisneria natans and Myriophyllum verticillatum) to PVC, polystyrene, and polyethylene microplastics at three concentrations, finding that all three types significantly inhibited photosynthesis and growth and triggered oxidative stress, with effects varying by plastic type and plant species.

2025 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics to submerged carnivorous Utricularia vulgaris plants in freshwater ecosystems

Researchers exposed the aquatic carnivorous plant Utricularia vulgaris to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations for seven days. The study found that microplastic exposure affected plant growth rate and caused morphological and physiological changes, providing early evidence that freshwater plants can be negatively impacted by microplastic pollution.

2020 Environmental Pollution 139 citations
Article Tier 2

[Response of Water-Vallisneria natans-Sediment System to Polyethylene Microplastics].

This study examined how polyethylene microplastics affect the water-Vallisneria natans-sediment system, finding that microplastic exposure alters aquatic plant physiology, sediment microbial activity, and nutrient cycling dynamics.

2024 PubMed 1 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

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the seed germination of herbaceous ornamental plants

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations affect seed germination of three ornamental plant species, finding that nanoscale particles at high concentrations significantly inhibited germination and early growth.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 150 citations
Article Tier 2

Short Duration Exposure of 3 µm Polystyrene Microplastics Affected Morphology and Physiology of Watermilfoil (sp. Roraima)

Short-term exposure to 3-micrometer polystyrene microplastics altered the growth and physiology of a freshwater aquatic plant (Watermilfoil). The findings suggest that microplastics can harm freshwater vegetation even at brief exposure levels, with potential effects on aquatic ecosystem function.

2021
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics/nanoplastics on Vallisneria natans roots and sediment: Size effect, enzymology, and microbial communities

This study compared how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics of three different sizes (20 nm, 200 nm, and 2 µm) affected the aquatic plant Vallisneria natans and surrounding sediment. Smaller particles adhered more readily to roots and altered root growth, while larger particles caused greater oxidative stress. All sizes disrupted sediment enzyme activity and shifted microbial communities on root surfaces, reducing beneficial bacteria like Proteobacteria. The findings show that particle size is a key variable in predicting microplastic harm to aquatic plant ecosystems.

2023 Chemosphere 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Negative impacts of nanoplastics on the purification function of submerged plants in constructed wetlands: Responses of oxidative stress and metabolic processes

Researchers exposed a submerged aquatic plant commonly used in constructed wetlands to polystyrene nanoplastics and measured the impacts on growth, photosynthesis, and metabolism. They found that nanoplastics were absorbed and transported throughout the plant, reducing growth by up to 73 percent and disrupting key metabolic pathways including the citric acid cycle. The study suggests that nanoplastic accumulation in wetland plants could compromise their ability to purify water.

2022 Water Research 75 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on the growth, physiology, and biochemical characteristics of Hydrilla verticillata].

Researchers exposed an aquatic plant to increasing concentrations of polystyrene microplastics and found that high doses stunted plant height, reduced chlorophyll, and impaired photosynthesis. Submerged aquatic plants form the base of freshwater food webs, and their disruption by microplastic pollution could cascade through aquatic ecosystems.

2021 PubMed 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity mechanism of microplastics on the growth traits and metabolic pathways of Vallisneria natans under different light environments

Researchers examined how microplastics affect the aquatic plant Vallisneria natans under different light conditions and found that strong light significantly increased microplastic accumulation on leaves and roots. The combination of high light and microplastics caused the most severe disruption to photosynthesis, energy metabolism, and triggered elevated oxidative stress. The findings suggest that environmental conditions like light intensity can amplify the harmful effects of microplastic pollution on freshwater plants.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics on the growth of plants and seed germination in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems

This review examined the effects of microplastics on plant growth and seed germination in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, finding that microplastic presence can affect plant development through multiple mechanisms depending on polymer type, concentration, and the composition of the growing medium.

2021 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología 42 citations
Article Tier 2

The threat of micro/nanoplastic to aquatic plants: current knowledge, gaps, and future perspectives

This review summarizes what is known about how micro- and nanoplastics affect aquatic plants, including how plants absorb these particles through roots and leaves and transport them internally. Exposure can alter plant growth, photosynthesis, and interactions with other organisms, though effects vary widely depending on plastic type and concentration. The authors highlight major research gaps and call for more studies on real-world conditions rather than controlled lab settings.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of microplastics on the foraging, photosynthesis and digestive systems of submerged carnivorous macrophytes under low and high nutrient concentrations

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect the carnivorous aquatic plant Utricularia vulgaris, finding that high concentrations reduced growth, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content while increasing oxidative stress. The study also revealed that microplastics accumulated in the plant's traps and altered the associated microbial community, though higher nutrient levels helped compensate for some of the negative growth effects.

2021 Environmental Pollution 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Short-duration exposure of 3-µm polystyrene microplastics affected morphology and physiology of watermilfoil (sp. roraima)

Short-duration exposure to 3-micrometer polystyrene microplastics affected the morphology and physiology of the freshwater macrophyte watermilfoil, with dose-dependent effects observed at concentrations from 0.05 to 1.25 mg/L under controlled conditions.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Responses of submerged plant Vallisneria natans growth and leaf biofilms to water contaminated with microplastics

Researchers exposed the submerged aquatic plant Vallisneria natans to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastics and observed increased antioxidant enzyme activity and cellular organelle damage. The microplastics also altered the microbial community composition on leaf biofilms. The findings indicate that even moderate microplastic concentrations can disrupt plant defense mechanisms and shift the microbial ecology of aquatic environments.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Article Tier 2

New Perspective on the Nanoplastics Disrupting the Reproduction of an Endangered Fern in Artificial Freshwater

The endangered aquatic fern Ceratopteris pteridoides was exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics for four weeks, with particles adsorbing onto spores, causing 2.3–22.4% reduction in spore imbibition, and impairing early developmental stages at concentrations as low as 1 μg/mL. The study provides first evidence of nanoplastic toxicity to an endangered aquatic plant.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Aged rather than pristine polyvinyl chloride microplastic affect the development and structure of Vallisneria natans population

Researchers compared the effects of pristine versus UV-aged polyvinyl chloride microplastics on the aquatic plant Vallisneria natans. They found that while pristine microplastics had no detectable effect, aged microplastics reduced population growth rates by 26% and caused differential responses between parent plants and offspring. The study suggests that environmentally weathered microplastics pose a greater threat to aquatic plant populations than fresh plastic particles.

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

Transport Dynamicsand Physiological Responses ofPolystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safetyand Environmental Health

Researchers tracked the transport and physiological responses of polystyrene nanoplastics in pakchoi (bok choy) plants, finding that nanoplastics were absorbed through roots and translocated to shoots where they disrupted chlorophyll production and reduced plant growth.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Microplastics on the Growth and Physiology Characteristics of Ceratophyllum demersum and Hydrilla verticillata].

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics (100 micrometer, 50 and 100 mg/L) on growth and physiological characteristics of two submerged aquatic plants, Ceratophyllum demersum and Hydrilla verticillata, under single and mixed cultivation. The study found that microplastic exposure altered plant growth metrics and physiological parameters in a concentration- and polymer-type-dependent manner, informing understanding of microplastic ecological effects in aquatic vegetation.

2025 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Multiple endpoints of polyethylene microplastics toxicity in vascular plants of freshwater ecosystems: A study involving Salvinia auriculata (Salviniaceae)

Researchers exposed the freshwater plant Salvinia auriculata to polyethylene microplastics for 28 days and observed reduced growth, thinner leaf tissue, and structural damage to cells. The study found that microplastics adhered to leaf and root surfaces, causing chlorophyll loss, cell membrane damage, and oxidative stress in the plants.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause growth inhibition, morphological damage and physiological disturbance in the marine microalga Platymonas helgolandica

Researchers exposed marine green microalgae to polystyrene nanoplastics and found significant growth inhibition, increased membrane permeability, disrupted photosynthesis, and visible morphological damage — including surface fragmentation and cellular rupture — at concentrations as low as 200 µg/L.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 128 citations
Article Tier 2

The impacts of nanoplastic toxicity on the accumulation, hormonal regulation and tolerance mechanisms in a potential hyperaccumulator - Lemna minor L.

Researchers studied the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on the freshwater plant Lemna minor, a species used extensively in phytoremediation. The study found that nanoplastic exposure affected plant growth and triggered hormonal responses, while also revealing tolerance mechanisms that the plant employs to cope with nanoplastic stress.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Is the aquatic macrophyte Landoltia punctata tolerant to high concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics?

Researchers tested whether the aquatic macrophyte Landoltia punctata can tolerate high concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics, finding that the plant showed resilience at environmentally relevant levels but experienced measurable oxidative stress and physiological disruption at higher doses. The results suggest this floating plant has moderate tolerance but is not immune to nanoplastic toxicity.

2025 The Science of The Total Environment
Article Tier 2

Microplastics accumulate on pores in seed capsule and delay germination and root growth of the terrestrial vascular plant Lepidium sativum

Researchers found that micro- and nanoplastic particles accumulate on the pores of cress seed capsules, physically blocking water uptake and delaying both germination and root growth. The smallest particles caused the most significant effects by clogging the seed pores most effectively. The study reveals a previously unknown mechanism by which plastic pollution could harm plant reproduction in contaminated soils.

2019 Chemosphere 851 citations