Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The adsorption of arsenic on micro- and nano-plastics intensifies the toxic effect on submerged macrophytes

Researchers investigated how arsenic adsorbs onto microplastics of varying types and sizes, and how those particles affect underwater plants. They found that nanoplastics increased arsenic absorption in aquatic macrophytes by 36-47%, causing more severe leaf damage and oxidative stress than either contaminant alone.

2022 Environmental Pollution 64 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on submerged plant Myriophyllum verticillatum L.

Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on the submerged aquatic plant Myriophyllum verticillatum. They found that nanoplastics reduced arsenic accumulation in the plant by 17 to 67 percent, and that the interaction between the two contaminants was dose-dependent, with nanoplastics alleviating arsenic toxicity at low doses but worsening it at higher concentrations. The study suggests that co-contamination of nanoplastics and heavy metals in freshwater environments may have complex ecological effects.

2022 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 46 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics in Duckweed: Single-Cell Responses and Recovery

This study investigated the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on duckweed (Lemna) at the single-cell level, finding dose-dependent disruption of photosynthesis and oxidative stress responses. Notably, duckweed showed partial recovery after nanoplastic exposure ended, indicating some resilience in aquatic macrophytes.

2025 ACS Nano
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

Tissue-specific responses of duckweed to cadmium stress under nanoplastic co-exposure: differential accumulation and toxicity in roots and fronds

This study found that polystyrene nanoplastics promoted cadmium accumulation in duckweed roots while paradoxically reducing cadmium toxicity in the fronds, revealing tissue-specific differences in how nanoplastic co-exposure modifies metal toxicity in aquatic plants.

2025 Environmental Science Nano
Article Tier 2

Single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and PCB-52 to the aquatic duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics and PCB-52 act synergistically to impair the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza, with combined exposure amplifying oxidative stress, chlorophyll loss, and osmotic imbalance in roots beyond what either pollutant caused alone — while low nanoplastic doses alone mildly stimulated growth.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 16 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastic and arsenate: From the view of biochemical process in wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.)

Researchers found that when wheat seedlings were exposed to both arsenic and polystyrene microplastics together, the microplastics reduced arsenic uptake in roots but dramatically increased arsenic transport to the above-ground parts of the plant — by up to 1,000%. This combined exposure caused more oxidative stress and damage to the plants' photosynthetic systems than arsenic alone. The findings suggest that microplastics in contaminated soil could increase how much toxic metal ends up in the edible parts of crops.

2024 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic insight into the intensification of arsenic toxicity to rice (Oryza sativa L.) by nanoplastic: Phytohormone and glutathione metabolism modulation

Nanoplastics at environmentally realistic levels did not harm rice plants on their own, but when combined with arsenic they made arsenic toxicity significantly worse, reducing plant growth by up to 23%. The nanoplastics increased arsenic uptake by disrupting plant hormones and weakening the plant's natural detoxification systems. This is concerning because rice is a staple food for billions of people, and agricultural soils increasingly contain both nanoplastics and heavy metals.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics treated with heavy metals on physiological and biochemical stress parameters in duckweed (Lemna minor)

Researchers investigated the effects of heavy metal-treated microplastics (a mixture of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) on physiological and biochemical stress parameters in marine organisms, finding that metal-contaminated microplastics altered stress responses compared to untreated plastic particles. The study highlights how abiotic weathering of microplastics can increase their ecotoxicological hazard through metal co-contamination.

2024 Repository of the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics inDuckweed: Single-Cell Responses andRecovery

This study examined how polystyrene nanoplastics affect duckweed at the single-cell level, documenting photosynthetic disruption and oxidative stress, as well as partial recovery after exposure ceased. The results indicate aquatic macrophytes have some resilience to nanoplastic stress but can sustain lasting cellular damage at higher doses.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Biochemical and physiological insights into Lemna minor as a remediator of multi metal–microplastic contaminated waters

This 42-day experiment tested how common duckweed (Lemna minor) responds to water contaminated with multiple heavy metals and polyethylene microplastics, finding that combined exposure severely stunted growth, depleted chlorophyll, and triggered major oxidative stress. Despite the damage, duckweed accumulated high concentrations of both heavy metals and microplastics in its tissue, suggesting potential for phytoremediation of contaminated water. Understanding how plants cope with — and absorb — these combined pollutants is important for both ecological risk assessment and developing water cleanup strategies.

2026 BMC Plant Biology
Article Tier 2

Physiological responses of Lemna minor to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics

Researchers exposed duckweed plants to two types of microplastics — polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) — and found surprisingly opposite effects: PS microplastics actually promoted plant growth, while PMMA microplastics damaged chloroplasts and stunted growth, showing that plastic type matters greatly for environmental harm.

2025 Current Plant Biology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and joint toxicity of polymethyl methacrylate microplastics and As (V) on rapeseed (Brassia campestris L.)

Researchers evaluated the individual and combined toxicity of polymethyl methacrylate microplastics and arsenic on rapeseed plants. They found that nanoscale plastic particles were more toxic than microscale ones, and the combination of nanoplastics with arsenic produced synergistic harmful effects on germination, growth, and arsenic accumulation in plant tissues. The study raises concerns about the combined impact of microplastics and heavy metals on crop safety in contaminated farmland.

2021 Chemosphere 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactive effect of nanoplastic particles and phototoxicant on microalgae

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoparticles and methylene blue, a phototoxic compound, on two species of freshwater microalgae. Depending on concentrations and exposure duration, the combination produced synergistic, additive, or antagonistic toxic effects on algal growth. The study highlights that nanoplastics can modify the toxicity of other pollutants in complex and sometimes unpredictable ways.

2026 Advances in Natural Sciences Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particles increase arsenic toxicity to rice seedlings

Researchers studied how polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics interact with arsenic to affect rice seedling growth. They found that microplastics alone reduced plant biomass and inhibited photosynthesis, while the combination with arsenic at higher concentrations amplified the toxic effects on root activity and cell membranes. The study reveals that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings may worsen the impact of other pollutants on food crops.

2019 Environmental Pollution 444 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiobiochemical and transcriptional responses of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) to different doses of polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers examined how different concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics affect tobacco plant growth at both the physiological and molecular levels. They found that higher doses caused oxidative stress, reduced photosynthesis, and triggered significant changes in gene expression related to stress responses. The study reveals that nanoplastic toxicity in plants is dose-dependent and involves complex molecular mechanisms beyond simple physical damage.

2024 Industrial Crops and Products 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics on photosynthesis, antioxidant defense systems, and arsenic accumulation in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings grown in arsenic-contaminated soils

This study tested how polyethylene and biodegradable microplastics affect maize seedlings grown in arsenic-contaminated soil. Both types of microplastics changed how much arsenic the plants absorbed, with biodegradable microplastics increasing arsenic uptake in roots and shoots. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in farmland could alter how crops absorb toxic substances, potentially affecting food safety.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 133 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of microplastics on the growth and photosynthesis of Lemna minor

Researchers exposed duckweed (Lemna minor) to polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microplastics at concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 mg/L and measured effects on growth, photosynthetic yield, pigment content, and RuBisCO protein expression. PMMA-MPs were found to be more harmful than PS-MPs, causing greater reductions in chlorophyll content and stronger suppression of RuBisCO, though neither treatment significantly altered maximum quantum yield of PSII.

2024 Repository of the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
Article Tier 2

Toxicity effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenite on Microcystis aeruginosa

Researchers studied how two types of polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface properties interact with arsenic to affect freshwater algae. They found that nanoplastics with a sulfonic acid surface modification caused more severe growth inhibition and metabolic disruption in the algae, while both types reduced arsenic uptake by the organisms. The study highlights that the specific surface chemistry of nanoplastics significantly influences their environmental toxicity.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic effect of arsenate and microplastics and its toxicity mechanism on lettuce

Researchers investigated the combined effects of arsenate and polystyrene microplastics on lettuce growth. The study found that microplastics adsorbed arsenate from irrigation water and enhanced its uptake by lettuce, with the synergistic effect causing greater oxidative stress and growth inhibition than either contaminant alone.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects and metabolic response mechanisms of amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on Microcystis aeruginosa

Researchers investigated the combined effects of amine-modified polystyrene nanoplastics and arsenic on a common freshwater cyanobacterium. They found that co-exposure intensified cellular stress, disrupted metabolic processes, and promoted the release of harmful toxins beyond what either pollutant caused individually. The findings reveal previously unrecognized risks to freshwater ecosystems when nanoplastics interact with heavy metal contaminants.

2025 Environmental Science Nano 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics and their combined effects with sulphamethoxazole on the free-floating aquatic plant Lemna major

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole on free-floating freshwater organisms, examining how co-exposure to these two pollutants interacts compared to individual exposures. Nanoplastics altered the bioavailability and toxicity of the antibiotic, demonstrating complex mixture effects in aquatic systems.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and nanoparticles on Lemna minor

Researchers adsorbed ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles onto polyethylene microplastics extracted from cosmetics and tested their combined toxicity on the aquatic plant Lemna minor, finding that while specific growth rate and chlorophyll a content were unaffected, both nanoparticle-coated microplastic combinations inhibited root growth and reduced chlorophyll b content.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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