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20 resultsShowing papers similar to New Method of Fabricating Carbon Materials via Uptake of Nanoplastics into Eichhornia crassipes for Enhancing Supercapacitance
ClearTracing and trapping micro- and nanoplastics: Untapped mitigation potential of aquatic plants?
Researchers used fluorescently labeled polystyrene particles to trace microplastic and nanoplastic uptake in three aquatic plant species, finding that nanoplastics concentrated primarily in roots via apoplastic transport with bioconcentration factors up to 306, suggesting floating plants like water hyacinth may be useful for removing plastic from contaminated water.
Phytoremediation of microplastics by water hyacinth
Researchers found that water hyacinth, a fast-growing floating plant, can remove 55-69% of microplastics from contaminated water within 48 hours through root adsorption. The plant's massive root surface area traps plastic particles, while a special structure in the stem prevents the plastics from reaching the leaves. This study offers a promising natural, low-cost approach to cleaning microplastics from waterways.
Insight into the absorption and migration of polystyrene nanoplastics in Eichhornia crassipes and related photosynthetic responses
Researchers studied how water hyacinth plants absorb and transport polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes. Smaller nanoplastics (20 nm) penetrated deeper into root tissue and migrated to leaves, while larger ones (200 nm) mostly stayed in the roots. Both sizes impaired photosynthesis, suggesting that nanoplastic pollution in waterways can harm aquatic plants that play important roles in water purification.
Proposal of Invader Pontederia crassipes as a Savior of Micro and Macro Size Plastic Pollution
This study was the first to evaluate microplastic and macroplastic capture potential of the invasive water hyacinth, finding 3,691 particles in the roots of 12 specimens, with fragments dominating. The results suggest this widely distributed invasive plant may passively accumulate plastic particles from aquatic environments.
Trade-off of abiotic stress response in floating macrophytes as affected by nanoplastic enrichment
Researchers exposed water hyacinth plants to polystyrene nanoplastics at varying concentrations for 28 days. They found that while the plants removed 61-91% of nanoplastics from the water, the particles reduced plant biomass, impaired photosynthesis, and caused oxidative stress in roots and leaves. The study suggests that floating plants in constructed wetlands can help filter nanoplastics but experience significant physiological trade-offs in the process.
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.
Micro- and nano-plastics pollution and its potential remediation pathway by phytoremediation.
This review proposed phytoremediation as a viable approach for removing micro- and nano-plastics from contaminated environments, reviewing evidence that plants can take up particles through roots and translocate them to shoots, and discussing the potential for hyperaccumulating species to be used in soil and water decontamination.
First Evidence of Microplastic in the Roots of Eichhornia Crassipes (mart.) Solms (1883) at the Delmiro Gouveia Paulo Afonso Reservoir – Ba - Submedio São Francisco
This Brazilian study is the first to document microplastics in the roots of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in the Sao Francisco River basin, finding 211 microplastic particles in root samples across multiple collection months. Fibers were the dominant type in both plant roots and water samples, highlighting the plant's role in accumulating suspended microplastics.
Water hyacinths retain river plastics
Researchers investigated how water hyacinths, an invasive aquatic plant common in tropical rivers, interact with floating plastic debris. They found that dense water hyacinth patches efficiently trap surface plastics, potentially influencing whether plastic waste reaches the ocean. The study suggests that while water hyacinths are typically considered a nuisance species, they may play an unintended role in retaining river plastics.
Increasing the capacitance of flexible supercapacitors by adding spongy-like CNTs on their electrodes and application of CNTs to remove oil/microplastics from tap water
Researchers used spongy carbon nanotubes to enhance the capacitance of graphene-based flexible supercapacitors, and separately demonstrated that the same CNT materials can remove oil and microplastics from tap water through adsorption, suggesting dual energy-storage and remediation applications.
A Review on Harnessing the Invasive Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) for Use as an Agricultural Soil Amendment
This review synthesizes 35 studies on using invasive water hyacinth as an agricultural soil amendment in the form of mulch, compost, biochar, and foliar extract. Researchers found reported benefits including improved soil organic carbon, nutrient availability, and crop yields, though most studies were short-term and conducted under controlled conditions. While not directly focused on microplastics, the study explores how repurposing invasive plant biomass could reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers and conventional plastics in agriculture.
The power of green: Harnessing phytoremediation to combat micro/nanoplastics
This review explores how plants and plant-based systems can be used to capture and remove micro- and nanoplastics from contaminated soil and water environments. Researchers found that certain plant species can absorb, trap, or break down plastic particles through their root systems and associated microorganisms. The study suggests that phytoremediation, or using plants to clean up pollution, could become a scalable and environmentally friendly strategy for tackling plastic contamination.
Water hyacinth-inspired self-floating photocatalytic system for efficient and sustainable water purification
Researchers developed a floating water purification device inspired by the water hyacinth plant, combining a buoyant porous structure with a light-activated photocatalyst to break down pollutants. The device effectively degraded various contaminants including dyes, antibiotics, and microplastics using only sunlight, while remaining stable in both still and flowing water. The study demonstrates a practical, sustainable approach to water cleanup that works without chemicals or external energy sources.
Can “Risk-Sharing” Mechanisms Help Clonal Aquatic Plants Mitigate the Stress of Nanoplastics?
This study examined how nanoplastics affect water hyacinth, a clonal aquatic plant that can share resources between connected parent and offspring plants. Nanoplastics accumulated in parent plants and transferred to offspring through connecting stems, reducing growth and damaging the photosynthetic system at all tested concentrations. The findings are concerning because aquatic plants used in ecological restoration could accumulate and spread nanoplastic contamination through water ecosystems.
Plastic plants: Water hyacinths as driver of plastic transport in tropical rivers
Researchers studied how water hyacinth plants act as drivers of plastic transport in tropical freshwater rivers, finding that the floating plants aggregate and carry large quantities of plastic debris. Understanding this mechanism is important for predicting and intercepting plastic before it reaches the ocean as microplastics.
Mechanistic understanding on the uptake of micro-nano plastics by plants and its phytoremediation.
This review summarized the mechanisms by which micro-nano plastics are taken up by plants through roots and leaves, and evaluated the potential for phytoremediation as a strategy to reduce plastic contamination in soil, identifying key plant species and genetic factors that influence uptake.
A low-impact nature-based solution for reducing aquatic microplastics from freshwater ecosystems
Researchers developed a nature-based solution using the submerged plant Myriophyllum aquaticum to capture and retain microplastics from freshwater ecosystems. Through optimization experiments, they achieved high retention efficiency with minimal environmental disruption. The study demonstrates that aquatic plants can serve as a low-impact, practical tool for reducing microplastic pollution in rivers and lakes.
Nanophytoremediation: advancing phytoremediation efficiency through nanotechnology integration
This review examines how combining nanotechnology with plants that naturally absorb pollutants (phytoremediation) could speed up environmental cleanup efforts. Nanoparticles can help plants take up contaminants more efficiently and survive in polluted conditions, offering a potential strategy for addressing soil and water contamination from various pollutants including plastics.
Removal Methods of Plastic Waste and Interactions of Micro- and Nano-Plastics with Plants
This review examined methods for removing plastic waste from the environment and the interactions of micro- and nanoplastics with plants, including uptake mechanisms, bioaccumulation, and the capacity of plastics to adsorb organic pollutants and heavy metals.
Uptake and translocation of microplastics from sewage sludge by the fern Pteris vittata
Plants may offer a promising low-tech solution for removing microplastics from contaminated soils: this study found that the fern Pteris vittata can absorb microplastics from soil through its roots and even transport them up into its fronds. The fern took up ten different types of plastic polymers commonly found in sewage sludge-amended soil, though the process also caused oxidative stress and reduced plant growth at higher contamination levels. This is the first evidence that a plant can physically translocate microplastics from soil to aboveground tissue, opening a potential new avenue for phytoremediation of plastic-polluted farmland.