Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Phytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene and Polymethyl Methacrylate Microplastics on Allium cepa Roots

Researchers exposed onion roots to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics at various concentrations and observed toxic effects on root growth and cellular health. Both types of microplastics caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted cell division in the root tips. The study provides evidence that common plastic particles in soil can directly harm plant root development at the cellular level.

2023 Plants 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Cytogenotoxic potential of a hazardous material, polystyrene microparticles on Allium cepa L.

This study used the onion root test to assess the genotoxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on plant cells, finding that even at relatively low concentrations the particles caused oxidative stress, reduced root growth, and damaged chromosomes. The results indicate that polystyrene microplastics pose hazards to plant genetics, with implications for agricultural soil contamination.

2020 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

Effects of Polyethylene and Polystyrene Microplastics on Oat (Avena sativa L.) Growth and Physiological Characteristics

Researchers conducted pot experiments exposing oat seedlings to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics at four concentrations and measured effects on growth and physiological parameters. Both particle types reduced shoot and root biomass in a dose-dependent manner, with polystyrene microplastics causing greater physiological disruption, particularly to chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activity.

2025 Plants
Article Tier 2

Exploring the interaction between polystyrene nanoplastics and Allium cepa during germination: Internalization in root cells, induction of toxicity and oxidative stress

Researchers germinated onion seeds in the presence of 50 nm polystyrene nanoparticles and found that even the lowest dose caused cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in root meristem cells — including micronuclei formation — while fluorescence and electron microscopy confirmed that nanoparticles physically enter root cells and can potentially move up the food chain via crops.

2020 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 394 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological Toxicity and Antioxidant Mechanism of Photoaging Microplastics on Pisum sativum L. Seedlings

Researchers tested the toxicity of pristine and photoaged microplastics made of four different polymers (PS, PA, PE, PET) on pea seedlings. The study found that photoaged microplastics caused more harm to root growth than pristine ones, generated reactive oxygen species that worsened oxidative stress, and disrupted nutrient transport in plant tissues. These findings suggest that environmental weathering of microplastics increases their toxicity to plants through enhanced oxidative damage.

2023 Toxics 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics Exposure on the Acropora sp. Antioxidant, Immunization and Energy Metabolism Enzyme Activities

Researchers exposed Acropora coral fragments to microplastics and measured antioxidant enzyme activity, immune markers, and energy metabolism enzymes, finding that MP exposure elevated oxidative stress and suppressed immune function, with effects worsening at higher concentrations.

2021 Frontiers in Microbiology 39 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 122 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Nano- and microplastics commonly cause adverse impacts on plants at environmentally relevant levels: A systematic review

Systematic review of 78 studies found that nano- and microplastics commonly cause adverse effects on plants even at environmentally relevant concentrations, with germination and root growth more strongly affected than shoot growth during early development. Chlorophyll levels were consistently reduced while stress indicators (ROS) and antioxidant enzymes were consistently upregulated across species.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 100 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Is microplastic an oxidative stressor? Evidence from a meta-analysis on bivalves

Microplastics induce time-dependent oxidative stress in bivalves, with antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GST, SOD) increasing during short-term exposure but declining after long-term exposure, while glutathione levels and catalase activity remained elevated throughout and may serve as reliable biomarkers of sublethal microplastic effects.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 199 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Sub-Acute Inhalation Exposure to Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride Micro-Nano Plastics on the Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Level and Malondialdehyde (MDA) Level in Rat Ovary

Researchers exposed rats to sub-acute inhalation of polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride micro-nano plastics and measured superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in ovarian tissue as markers of oxidative stress. Plastic inhalation significantly elevated MDA and reduced SOD in ovarian tissue, indicating that inhaled microplastics induce oxidative damage in female reproductive organs.

2024 JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of physiological stress on plants grown in soil contaminated with microplastics

Researchers tested how three types of microplastics (PET, HDPE, and polyester) affect the growth and health of spring onion and okra plants. They found that all microplastic types reduced chlorophyll levels, increased oxidative stress, and stunted plant growth, with HDPE and polyester causing the most damage. The study highlights the potential ecological risks microplastics pose to vegetable crops grown in contaminated soil.

2025 Scientific Reports 1 citations
Article Tier 2

PolystyreneNanoplastics Compromise the NutritionalValue of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Researchers grew radishes in soil contaminated with polystyrene nanoplastics and found that NP exposure reduced vegetable nutritional quality by lowering vitamin C, anthocyanin, and antioxidant content while increasing oxidative stress markers in the edible portions.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Physiological responses of garden cress (L. sativum) to different types of microplastics

Researchers tested the effects of four common types of microplastics on garden cress plants and found that PVC was the most toxic, causing the greatest oxidative stress and growth inhibition. Both acute and chronic exposure to microplastics affected seed germination, plant height, biomass, and levels of stress-response compounds in the plants. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that microplastics can trigger oxidative damage in terrestrial plants, with implications for agricultural ecosystems.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 371 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Environmental Pollution 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Plants oxidative response to nanoplastic

This review summarized how plants respond to nanoplastic exposure through oxidative stress mechanisms, covering effects on seed germination, root growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzyme activity. Nanoplastics posed greater risks than larger microplastics due to cellular uptake and interference with plant biochemical processes.

2022 Frontiers in Plant Science 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Heavy Metals and Polystyrene Microplastics on the Bacterial Communities in Rhizosphere and Bulk Soil and the Physiological Health of Allium fistulosum

Researchers examined the combined effects of heavy metals and polystyrene microplastics of three sizes on soil bacterial communities and the physiology of Allium fistulosum (bunching onion) in contaminated soils from Tongling, China. The combination altered soil physicochemical properties, shifted bacterial diversity, and negatively affected plant physiological health, with effects varying by particle size.

2025
Article Tier 2

In vivo oxidative stress responses of the freshwater basket clam Corbicula javanicus to microplastic fibres and particles

Researchers found that microplastic exposure caused oxidative stress in freshwater basket clams, with polyester fibers increasing antioxidant enzyme activity while polyethylene fragments decreased it, indicating different toxicological impacts depending on plastic type.

2022 Chemosphere 34 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics on Rice Seed Germination and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity

Researchers tested how different concentrations of polystyrene microplastics affect rice seed germination, root growth, and antioxidant enzyme activity. They found that at higher concentrations, the microplastics inhibited root growth and triggered oxidative stress responses in the seedlings. The study indicates that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils could interfere with early crop development, potentially affecting food production.

2021 Toxics 157 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induced oxidative stress and antioxidant defence in the digestive tissues of a freshwater pulmonate snail, Indoplanorbis exustus

Researchers studied the oxidative stress response caused by polystyrene nanoplastics in the digestive tissues of the freshwater snail Indoplanorbis exustus. The study found that nanoplastic exposure elevated reactive oxygen species levels in a time-dependent manner, initially triggering protective antioxidant enzyme responses, but prolonged exposure depleted these defenses and exacerbated oxidative damage to digestive tissues.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics