Papers

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Article Tier 2

Different effects and mechanisms of polystyrene micro- and nano-plastics on the uptake of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) by lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect the uptake of heavy metals by lettuce grown in contaminated soil. They found that nanoplastics increased the accumulation of copper and zinc in lettuce leaves, while microplastics had the opposite effect for some metals. The study reveals that plastic particle size plays a critical role in determining whether microplastics worsen or reduce heavy metal contamination in food crops.

2022 Environmental Pollution 95 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitigating potential of polystyrene microplastics on bioavailability, uptake, and toxicity of copper in maize (Zea mays L.)

This study found that polystyrene microplastics in soil actually reduced copper toxicity in maize plants by binding to the copper and making it less available for plant uptake. While this might seem beneficial, it means microplastics are changing how nutrients and metals move through agricultural soil in unpredictable ways. The findings highlight that microplastic contamination in farmland can alter the chemistry of soil in complex ways that affect crop nutrition and food safety.

2024 Environmental Pollution 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Understanding the Role of Low-Dose Polystyrene Microplastic in Copper Toxicity to Rice Seed (Oryza sativa L.)

This study explored how polystyrene microplastics interact with copper toxicity in rice seeds. Researchers found that microplastics actually reduced copper's harmful effects by physically accumulating on seed coats and blocking copper absorption, lowering the amount of copper taken up by seedlings by about 34%. The findings highlight how microplastics can alter the way other environmental contaminants affect plants.

2024 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics alleviate the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles to the marine algae Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis

Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to alleviate the toxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles to the marine microalga Chlorella vulgaris, likely by adsorbing copper ions onto their surface and reducing bioavailability. The antagonistic interaction highlights how co-occurring nanomaterials can unexpectedly modify each other's environmental toxicity.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental efficacy of polyethylene microplastics: Enhancing the solidification of CuO nanoparticles and reducing the physiological toxicity to peanuts

Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics interact with copper oxide nanoparticles in soil and their combined effects on peanut plant growth. They found that while polyethylene alone had minimal impact, it reduced the dissolution and absorption of toxic copper oxide nanoparticles, effectively lessening their harmful effects on peanut biomass. The study suggests that microplastics may sometimes act as a moderating influence on the toxicity of co-occurring metal nanoparticle pollutants in agricultural settings.

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

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.

2026
Article Tier 2

Translocation and chronic effects of microplastics on pea plants (Pisum sativum) in copper-contaminated soil

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics affect pea plants grown in copper-contaminated soil over a full growing season. They found that the combination of nanoplastics and copper reduced crop yield, impaired nutritional quality, and that nanoplastic particles were taken up and transported throughout the plant tissues. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in polluted agricultural soils may compound existing threats to crop productivity and food safety.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 98 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of polystyrene microplastic and nanoplastic on copper toxicity in two freshwater microalgae

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics affect the toxicity of copper to two freshwater microalgae species over extended exposure periods. They found that microplastics generally reduced copper toxicity by adsorbing copper ions, while nanoplastics had more variable effects depending on concentration and algal species. The study highlights that the size of plastic particles plays an important role in how they modify the bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic environments.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 71 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastic on uptake and toxicity of copper and cadmium in hydroponic wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.)

This study investigated how polystyrene microplastics interact with the heavy metals copper and cadmium in hydroponic wheat seedlings. Researchers found that while the microplastics alone did not significantly affect wheat growth, they adsorbed heavy metals and actually reduced the amount of copper and cadmium the plants absorbed. The findings suggest that in some cases microplastics may lessen heavy metal toxicity in plants by binding these metals and making them less available for uptake.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 238 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of micro/nanoplastics and ZnO nanoparticles on lactuca sativa seedlings under varied lighting

Researchers studied how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics interact with zinc oxide nanoparticles to affect lettuce seed germination and early growth under different lighting conditions. They found that when the plastics were present alongside zinc oxide, the combined toxic effects were actually reduced compared to exposure to either contaminant alone. The study suggests that microplastics can alter how other engineered nanoparticles behave in agricultural settings, with lighting conditions playing an additional role.

2025 Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Effects of Polyethylene and Bordeaux Mixture on the Soil–Plant System: Phytotoxicity, Copper Accumulation and Changes in Microbial Abundance

Researchers studied the combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and Bordeaux mixture (a copper-based fungicide) on lettuce growth and soil microbes over 28 days. They found that copper treatments affected root and shoot growth, while microplastics alone showed limited effects and may have reduced copper bioavailability. The study suggests that the interaction between agricultural plastics and agrochemical residues creates complex, sometimes offsetting effects on soil-plant systems.

2025 Agriculture 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polystyrene on di-butyl phthalate (DBP) bioavailability and DBP-induced phytotoxicity in lettuce

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes affect the bioavailability of the plasticizer di-butyl phthalate and its toxicity to lettuce plants. They found that smaller nanoscale polystyrene particles increased DBP uptake by the plants, while larger particles reduced it by adsorbing the chemical. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as carriers for harmful chemicals in agricultural soils, with particle size determining whether they amplify or reduce pollutant exposure to crops.

2020 Environmental Pollution 149 citations
Article Tier 2

The Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics and Copper Ion Co-Contamination on the Growth of Rice Seedlings

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics and copper ions interact when both are present in the water supply of rice seedlings. They found that microplastics actually reduced copper toxicity by absorbing the metal ions, but both pollutants weakened the plant's antioxidant defenses. The study suggests that microplastics and heavy metals interact in complex ways in agricultural systems, with implications for crop health and food safety.

2024 Nanomaterials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Mitigated toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in combination exposure with copper ions by transformation into copper (I) oxide: Inhibits the oxidative potential of nanoplastics

Researchers investigated how combining polystyrene nanoplastics with copper ions affects toxicity in laboratory and animal models. They found that when copper interacted with the nanoplastics, it transformed into copper oxide, which actually reduced the overall toxicity by inhibiting the oxidative potential of the plastic particles. The study provides evidence that the combined environmental behavior of nanoplastics and metals can produce unexpected toxicological outcomes.

2024 Chemosphere 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic Effectsof Polystyrene Nanoplastics andCadmium on the Metabolic Processes and Their Accumulation in HydroponicallyGrown Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Hydroponically grown lettuce co-exposed to cadmium and polystyrene nanoplastics accumulated 61% more cadmium and more nanoplastics than singly-exposed plants, with combined exposure causing greater oxidative stress and growth inhibition.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper on Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis: Perspectives from growth inhibition, chlorophyll content and oxidative stress

Researchers investigated the single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper on the marine microalga Platymonas helgolandica. The study found that copper alone inhibited growth in a dose-dependent manner, while nanoplastics modified copper's bioavailability and altered the combined toxic response. The results suggest that the interaction between nanoplastics and heavy metals can produce complex toxicity patterns that differ from individual exposures.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 60 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics contamination on spinach (Spinacia oleracea): influence of plastic polymers, growing media, and copper co-exposure

A pot experiment tested how different microplastic polymers (LDPE, PBAT, starch-based) and copper co-contamination affected spinach grown in two soil types, finding that microplastic effects on plant growth and copper uptake varied significantly by polymer type and soil characteristics.

2025 Next research.
Article Tier 2

Phytotoxicity of binary nanoparticles and humic acid on Lactuca sativa L.

Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to aggravate the toxic effects of iron oxide nanoparticles on lettuce by inducing oxidative stress and root deformation, demonstrating synergistic phytotoxicity when two nanomaterial pollutants co-occur in soil.

2022 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Antidote or Trojan horse for submerged macrophytes: Role of microplastics in copper toxicity in aquatic environments

Researchers investigated whether polyethylene microplastics act as an antidote or a Trojan horse for copper toxicity to submerged aquatic plants. The study found that microplastics reduced dissolved copper concentrations through adsorption but could then release copper-loaded particles that were taken up by plants. The results suggest that microplastics may initially reduce copper toxicity in water but ultimately serve as carriers that deliver copper directly into plant tissues.

2022 Water Research 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative uptake of nanoplastics with different physico-chemical properties in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and transfer to snails (Cantareus aspersus)

This study quantified the uptake of nanoplastics with different physico-chemical properties into lettuce plants grown in contaminated agricultural soil, using europium-doped polystyrene particles as tracers. Particle charge and surface chemistry significantly affected the extent of nanoplastic uptake into plant tissues, with positively charged particles showing greater accumulation.

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

Foliar-applied polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) reduce the growth and nutritional quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

When lettuce plants were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics sprayed on their leaves, they grew significantly smaller and produced less nutritious food, with reduced essential amino acids and micronutrients. The nanoplastics were absorbed through leaf pores and could travel down to the roots, causing oxidative stress throughout the plant. This study warns that airborne nanoplastic pollution could reduce both the quantity and nutritional quality of food crops.

2021 Environmental Pollution 364 citations
Article Tier 2

How do polystyrene microplastics affect the adsorption of copper in soil?

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect the behavior of copper in soil, finding that the plastics reduced copper adsorption by 3 to 16 percent while increasing its release. The microplastics blocked active binding sites on soil particles and lacked the functional groups needed to hold copper in place. The study suggests that microplastics in contaminated soils could make heavy metals more mobile and potentially more harmful.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined Exposure to Polyethylene Microplastics and Copper Affects Growth and Antioxidant Responses in Rice Seedlings

Researchers exposed rice seedlings to polyethylene microplastics and copper both individually and in combination and found that microplastics significantly enhanced copper uptake, increasing accumulation by about 25% compared to copper alone. While microplastics alone had minimal effects on growth, the combined exposure intensified oxidative stress in roots and altered antioxidant defense responses. The study demonstrates that microplastics can increase the bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals in agricultural crop systems.

2025 Environments 1 citations