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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Polyethylene microplastic modulates lettuce root exudates and induces oxidative damage under prolonged hydroponic exposure
ClearThe short-term effect of microplastics in lettuce involves size- and dose-dependent coordinate shaping of root metabolome, exudation profile and rhizomicrobiome
Researchers exposed lettuce plants to polyethylene plastic particles of four different sizes and concentrations, finding that the plastics altered root chemistry, changed what the roots released into the soil, and shifted the bacteria living around them. The effects depended strongly on particle size, with smaller particles causing different metabolic changes than larger ones. This study shows that microplastics in farm soil can change the biology of food crops from the roots up, potentially affecting both crop health and nutritional quality.
Transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in lettuce triggered by microplastics-stress
Researchers grew lettuce in water containing polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles accumulated in root tips and leaf veins, causing water loss stress and changes in gene expression. The plants responded by activating stress defense systems and altering their metabolism, including increased production of protective compounds in root secretions. This study provides molecular-level evidence that microplastics can stress food crops and change their biology, raising questions about the safety and nutritional quality of vegetables grown in contaminated environments.
Microplastic pollution in agriculture: How exposure pathway (Seed, Leaf, Root) dictates phytotoxicity in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)
This study compared the phytotoxicity of polyethylene microplastics applied to lettuce via seed, leaf, and root exposure pathways, finding that root exposure caused the greatest growth inhibition and oxidative stress. The route of MP exposure significantly influenced the type and severity of toxic effects on crops.
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.
Impact of microplastics on plant biogenic volatile organic compounds emission: A preliminary study
Researchers discovered that lettuce exposed to polystyrene microplastics dramatically changed the types and amounts of volatile chemicals the plants released, with some stress-related compounds increasing 7-fold. The microplastics also reduced the plants' natural antioxidant defenses and shifted root bacteria communities. These plant chemical signals could serve as early warning indicators of microplastic contamination in agricultural environments.
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.
Metabolic response of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) to polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics after foliar exposure
Researchers exposed lettuce plants to polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics through their leaves and found that the particles altered the plant's metabolism differently depending on particle size. This foliar exposure pathway means that microplastics and nanoplastics settling on leafy vegetables from the air can change the plant's internal chemistry. Since lettuce is widely consumed raw, these metabolic changes raise questions about how microplastic-contaminated produce might affect nutritional quality and human health.
Aging increases the phytotoxicity of polyethylene and polypropylene to Lactuca Sativa L. compared to original microplastics
This study found that microplastics from polyethylene and polypropylene become more toxic to lettuce plants after aging in the environment, reducing plant growth by roughly 25-28% compared to fresh plastic particles. The aged plastics disrupted the soil around plant roots, blocking nutrient absorption and interfering with key metabolic processes. This matters because most microplastics in farm soil have been weathered over time, meaning their real-world effects on food crops may be worse than lab studies using new plastics suggest.
Effect of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics on radish and carrot growth, nutrient uptake, and physiological stress responses
Researchers exposed radish and carrot seedlings to PET microplastics (0.1 g/L) for one week and measured growth, nutrient uptake, and stress markers. While plant biomass was unaffected, chlorophyll levels dropped and oxidative stress indicators rose significantly, showing physiological harm even without visible growth effects.
Microplastic-Mediated Heavy Metal Uptake in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.): Implications for Food Safety and Agricultural Sustainability
Researchers grew lettuce in contaminated soil mixed with different types of microplastics, including fibers, glitter, and fragments from bags and bottles. They found that microplastics altered how heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and copper moved through the soil and into the plants, sometimes increasing uptake of toxic metals in roots while decreasing others in leaves. The results raise concerns about food safety in agricultural areas where both microplastic and heavy metal contamination overlap.
Biodegradable microplastics induce profound changes in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) defense mechanisms and to some extent deteriorate growth traits
Researchers tested the effects of biodegradable plastic microplastics on lettuce growth and found that while the plants still grew, the microplastics caused significant stress at the cellular level. The plastic particles reduced chlorophyll content, triggered oxidative stress, and forced plants to activate their defense mechanisms, which affected their weight and nutrient content. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are harmless to crops and raises questions about food quality from microplastic-contaminated soil.
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.
Toxic effects of microplastics in plants depend more by their surface functional groups than just accumulation contents
Researchers studied how differently charged microplastics affect lettuce plants grown in water, finding that all types caused growth problems, root damage, and oxidative stress. Microplastics were able to penetrate roots and travel to above-ground plant parts through the water transport system. Importantly, the study found that the type of chemical groups on the microplastic surface mattered more for toxicity than the total amount of plastic accumulated in the plant.
Influence of polyethylene microplastics on Brassica rapa: Toxicity mechanism investigation
Researchers exposed the fast-growing plant Brassica rapa (related to turnip and cabbage) to polyethylene microplastics that had been degraded by sunlight, finding that the plastics stunted plant growth by up to 51% and triggered cellular stress responses. Genetic analysis revealed the microplastics disrupted the plant's immune and growth pathways, providing insight into how plastic pollution in agricultural soil could affect food crops.
Toxic effects and mechanisms of engineered nanoparticles and nanoplastics on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)
Researchers compared the effects of engineered nanoparticles and polystyrene nanoplastics on lettuce and found that all types caused oxidative stress in roots at high concentrations. Each nanoparticle type triggered different defensive metabolic pathways in the plants, and nanoplastics specifically altered amino acid and vitamin metabolism. Since lettuce is widely consumed raw, these findings raise questions about how nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soil could affect the safety of leafy vegetables.
The dosage- and size-dependent effects of micro- and nanoplastics in lettuce roots and leaves at the growth, photosynthetic, and metabolomics levels
Researchers studied the effects of polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics on lettuce plants, varying both particle size and concentration. They found that particle size played a pivotal role in influencing plant growth, photosynthetic activity, and metabolic processes, with nanoplastics generally causing more pronounced effects than larger microplastics. The study suggests that the smallest plastic particles pose the greatest risk to crop health by disrupting plant physiology at multiple levels.
Uptake and accumulation of microplastics in an edible plant
Researchers demonstrated for the first time that edible plants can take up and accumulate microplastics from soil. Using fluorescently labeled polystyrene beads, they showed that 0.2-micrometer particles entered lettuce roots through small cracks at lateral root emergence sites, traveled through the vascular system, and accumulated in the leaves. The findings raise concerns about a previously unrecognized pathway for human microplastic exposure through the consumption of vegetables grown in contaminated soil.
Effects of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics on the soil-rhizosphere-plant system: Phytotoxicity, enzyme activity, and microbial community
Researchers tested how three common types of microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene) affect lettuce growth and soil health. All three types inhibited plant growth, disrupted antioxidant systems in the leaves, and altered the microbial communities in the soil around roots, with polystyrene and polypropylene causing the most disturbance.
Potential impact and mechanism of aged polyethylene microplastics on nitrogen assimilation of Lactuca sativa L.
Researchers investigated how aged polyethylene microplastics of different sizes affect nitrogen uptake and metabolism in romaine lettuce. They found that aged microplastics, especially smaller particles, accumulated in the plants and disrupted nitrogen assimilation processes. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils may affect crop nutrition and quality by interfering with how plants absorb and process essential nutrients.
Uptake, Distribution, and Impact of Micro- and Nano-Plastics in Horticultural Systems Using Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as a Model Crop
Researchers studied how micro- and nanoplastics are taken up and distributed in lettuce grown in horticultural systems, finding that nanopolystyrene exposures significantly inhibited leaf and root development in a concentration-dependent manner. They optimized extraction methods for quantifying microplastics in soil and developed a synthesis procedure for nanoplastic test particles. The study demonstrates that plastic fragments from horticultural materials can accumulate in soil and affect crop growth, raising concerns about food safety.
Polyethylene microplastics increase cadmium uptake in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) by altering the soil microenvironment
This study found that polyethylene microplastics in soil increased the amount of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, that lettuce plants absorbed. The microplastics changed soil chemistry by lowering pH and increasing dissolved organic carbon, which made cadmium more available for plant uptake. This is concerning because it suggests that microplastics in agricultural soil could make crops more contaminated with heavy metals, increasing the health risks for people who eat them.
Effects of naturally aged microplastics on arsenic and cadmium accumulation in lettuce: Insights into rhizosphere microecology
Researchers studied how naturally aged microplastics in soil affect the uptake of arsenic and cadmium by lettuce. At low concentrations, microplastics actually reduced heavy metal absorption and helped plant growth, but at higher concentrations they increased the amount of toxic metals taken up by the lettuce. This means microplastic-contaminated farmland could lead to higher levels of heavy metals in salad greens and other vegetables that people eat.
Effects of Soil Microplastics on Plant Growth and Soil Health
A greenhouse experiment found that polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics at increasing concentrations reduced lettuce biomass, altered soil microbial activity, and changed soil structure and water retention, with effects more pronounced at higher MP concentrations.
Micro plastic driving changes in the soil microbes and lettuce growth under the influence of heavy metals contaminated soil
Researchers studied how microplastics interact with heavy metals in contaminated soil and their combined effects on lettuce growth and soil bacteria. Different types of microplastics altered soil chemistry and changed which microbes thrived, sometimes making heavy metals more available to plants. The study suggests that microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil could affect both the safety and nutritional quality of leafy vegetables that people eat.