Papers

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Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastic interaction with Oryza sativa: toxicity and metabolic mechanism

Researchers confirmed for the first time that polystyrene nanoplastics can enter rice plant root cells through a process called endocytosis. This finding provides important new understanding of how microplastic contamination in soil may affect crop plants and potentially enter the food supply.

2021 Environmental Science Nano 109 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics affect seed germination, cell biology and physiology of rice seedlings in-short term treatments: Evidence of their internalization and translocation

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics were absorbed by rice roots and translocated to shoots, impairing seed germination, seedling growth, and cell division while disrupting reactive oxygen species homeostasis in short-term treatments.

2022 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 108 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the quality of rice grains and the metabolism mechanism

Researchers found that tiny polystyrene plastic particles (under 100 nanometers) were absorbed by rice roots and traveled up into the grain, reducing protein content by up to 29%. The smallest particles weakened the plant's natural defenses by disrupting sugar metabolism. This means microplastics in soil could be silently lowering the nutritional quality of rice that people eat.

2025 Environmental Pollution 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) roots to nanoplastic treatment at seedling stage

Researchers exposed rice seedlings to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles were taken up by the roots, aided by water-transporting proteins in the plant. The nanoplastics triggered oxidative stress, reduced root length, and disrupted carbon metabolism and hormone production in the seedlings. The study raises concerns that nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could affect crop growth and potentially enter the human food supply through rice consumption.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 411 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on arsenic uptake and distribution in rice seedlings

Researchers investigated how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect arsenic uptake in rice seedlings grown in a hydroponic system. They found that nanoplastics (82 nm) increased arsenic accumulation in rice leaves by 12 to 37 percent, while larger microplastics (200 nm) reduced it. The study suggests that the size of plastic particles plays an important role in determining how they influence heavy metal uptake in crop plants, with implications for food safety.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 47 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport Dynamicsand Physiological Responses ofPolystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safetyand Environmental Health

Researchers tracked the transport and physiological responses of polystyrene nanoplastics in pakchoi (bok choy) plants, finding that nanoplastics were absorbed through roots and translocated to shoots where they disrupted chlorophyll production and reduced plant growth.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Uptake and distribution of microplastics of different particle sizes in maize (Zea mays) seedling roots

Researchers studied how maize seedling roots take up polystyrene microplastic beads of different sizes and found that smaller particles were absorbed more readily than larger ones. Particles as small as 0.2 micrometers were detected in both roots and shoots, with the root tip being the primary uptake zone. The findings confirm that microplastics can enter food crops through their root systems, raising questions about food safety.

2022 Chemosphere 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport Dynamics and Physiological Responses of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Pakchoi: Implications for Food Safety and Environmental Health

Researchers tracked fluorescently labeled nanoplastics as they traveled through pakchoi (a leafy green vegetable), entering through the roots, moving up through the plant's water-transport system, and accumulating in the leaves. The nanoplastics caused oxidative damage and disrupted plant hormones, demonstrating a clear pathway by which plastic pollution in soil could enter the human food supply through everyday vegetables.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Internalization, physiological responses and molecular mechanisms of lettuce to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes: Validation of simulated soilless culture

This study found that lettuce plants absorb polystyrene microplastics through their roots and transport them to their leaves, with smaller particles (100 nanometers) moving more easily than larger ones. Both sizes reduced plant growth by roughly 38-48% and triggered stress responses including changes in gene expression. These findings raise food safety concerns since microplastics in soil can accumulate in leafy vegetables that people eat.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake of polystyrene nanospheres by wheat and Arabidopsis roots in agar, hydroponics, and soil

Researchers studied the uptake of polystyrene nanoplastic particles by wheat and Arabidopsis roots across three growing systems: agar, hydroponics, and soil. The study found that plant roots can absorb nanoplastic particles, raising concerns about food chain contamination. The findings suggest that nanoplastics in agricultural soils may enter food crops and ultimately reach human consumers.

2025 Environmental Science Nano 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Visual tracking of label-free microplastics in wheat seedlings and their effects on crop growth and physiology

Researchers used advanced microscopy to visually track label-free polystyrene microplastics as they moved through wheat seedlings from roots to shoots via the plant's water-transport system. At lower concentrations, the microplastics actually increased water uptake in roots, but at higher concentrations they significantly reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid levels. The study provides direct visual evidence that crop plants can absorb and transport microplastics, with potential consequences for plant health and food safety.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and transport of micro/nanoplastics in terrestrial plants: Detection, mechanisms, and influencing factors

This review summarizes how micro and nanoplastics enter and move through plants, including uptake through roots and leaves via processes like endocytosis and movement through cell walls. Smaller particles penetrate more easily, and factors like surface charge and soil conditions affect how much plastic plants absorb. The findings are important because they show that crops can take up microplastics from contaminated soil, creating a potential pathway for these particles to reach the human diet.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 166 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential translocation process and effects of polystyrene microplastics on strawberry seedlings

Researchers found that tiny polystyrene microplastics (100 and 200 nanometers) can enter strawberry plant roots and travel upward through the plant's internal transport system. The smaller 100-nanometer particles traveled further into the plant than the larger ones, demonstrating that particle size determines how far microplastics spread in crops. This is concerning because it shows microplastics in soil can be taken up by food plants and potentially reach the parts that people eat.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nano- and microplastic accumulation at Arabidopsis and wheat root cap cells, but no evidence for uptake into roots

Researchers investigated whether polystyrene nano- and microplastics can be taken up by the roots of Arabidopsis and wheat plants. They found that plastic particles accumulated at root cap cells on the outer surface of roots but found no evidence that the particles were actually taken up into root tissues. The study suggests that while plastic particles associate with plant roots, they may not easily enter the plant itself through this pathway.

2020 Environmental Science Nano 251 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Impact of Microplastics Type of Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polystyrene on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Rice Plants

Researchers investigated how three common types of microplastics, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, affect rice seed germination and early seedling growth. They found that microplastic exposure altered root development and shoot growth, with the effects varying by polymer type. The study raises concerns about how microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils could affect staple crop establishment and food production.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 15 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 317 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of polystyrene nanoplastics in edible plants via root and foliar exposure: A qualitative imaging-based study

Researchers examined the uptake and movement of polystyrene nanoplastics in lettuce, carrot, and wheat following root and foliar exposure using confocal and electron microscopy. The study found that nanoplastics were internalized in root, stem, and leaf tissues of all three species, with lettuce showing the most extensive systemic transport including bidirectional movement, raising potential concerns for human exposure through crop consumption.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake of microplastics and impacts on plant traits of savoy cabbage

Researchers found that savoy cabbage plants can absorb polystyrene microplastic particles as small as 0.5 micrometers directly into their cells. Different types and sizes of plastic particles affected plant growth and leaf chemistry in distinct ways, including changes to certain amino acid and defense compound levels. This is concerning because it demonstrates a direct pathway for microplastics to enter the human diet through vegetables.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and effect of carboxyl-modified polystyrene microplastics on cotton plants

This study found that polystyrene microplastics can enter cotton plant roots and accumulate over time, causing growth problems and triggering stress responses at the genetic level. While focused on plants rather than human health directly, the findings raise questions about whether microplastics absorbed by crops could eventually make their way into food and textile products.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on growth and metabolism of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers found that polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics inhibited rice growth and disrupted ionic homeostasis and antioxidant metabolism in a dose-dependent manner, with PVC microplastics causing more severe effects than polystyrene.

2022 Chemosphere 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and translocation of nanoplastics in mono and dicot vegetables

Scientists exposed four different vegetable crops to fluorescent nanoplastics and tracked where the particles ended up in the plants. Nanoplastics were absorbed through the roots and transported to the stems and leaves of all plants tested, including tomatoes, radishes, and leafy greens. This confirms that food crops can take up nanoplastics from contaminated soil and deliver them to the parts of the plant that people eat.

2024 Plant Cell & Environment 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on the Mineral Elements Absorption and Accumulation in Hydroponic Rice Seedlings (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers exposed rice seedlings to different concentrations of polyethylene microplastics in hydroponic conditions and measured the effects on mineral nutrient absorption. They found that while microplastics did not affect shoot growth, they significantly altered the uptake and distribution of essential mineral elements in the plants. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in agricultural settings could disrupt crop nutrition even without visible growth impacts.

2022 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 56 citations
Article Tier 2

The threat of micro/nanoplastic to aquatic plants: current knowledge, gaps, and future perspectives

This review summarizes what is known about how micro- and nanoplastics affect aquatic plants, including how plants absorb these particles through roots and leaves and transport them internally. Exposure can alter plant growth, photosynthesis, and interactions with other organisms, though effects vary widely depending on plastic type and concentration. The authors highlight major research gaps and call for more studies on real-world conditions rather than controlled lab settings.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 27 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effect of Organic Fertilizers on the Accumulation and Distribution of Polystyrene Nanoplastics in Cotton Plants].

This pot experiment found that cotton plants absorb polystyrene nanoplastics through their roots and transport them into stems, but adding organic fertilizer reduced the amount transferred upward, with most nanoplastics retained in roots. While nanoplastics alone reduced plant growth indicators, organic fertilizer partially offset these negative effects. The results suggest that organic soil amendments could help reduce the uptake and spread of nanoplastics in food crops, which has implications for agricultural food safety.

2026 PubMed