Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics and arsenic on nutrients and microorganisms in rice rhizosphere soil

Researchers investigated how polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice rhizosphere soil. The study found that microplastics reduced arsenic bioavailability and altered microbial communities, while both pollutants together inhibited key soil enzyme activities and reduced available nitrogen and phosphorus, suggesting combined microplastic-arsenic pollution can impair nutrient cycling and crop growth.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 406 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic mediated arsenic toxicity involves differential bioavailability of arsenic and modulated uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers examined how polyethylene and polylactic acid microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice paddies. They found that at low arsenic levels, microplastics actually reduced arsenic uptake by rice plants, but at high arsenic concentrations the combination produced synergistic toxic effects. The study reveals that the interaction between microplastics and heavy metals in agricultural soils is more complex than previously thought and depends heavily on contaminant concentration levels.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel mechanism study of microplastic and As co-contamination on indica rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers used pot experiments and computational chemistry to study how polystyrene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics affect arsenic uptake in rice plants. They found that both types of microplastics interacted with rice root compounds and influenced how much arsenic the plants absorbed from contaminated soil. The study reveals a previously unknown mechanism by which microplastic pollution in agricultural soils could increase toxic metal accumulation in a major food crop.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 141 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics and arsenic on plants: Interactions, toxicity and environmental implications

This review examines how microplastics and arsenic interact in soil and their combined effects on plant health. When both pollutants are present together, they can have amplified toxic effects on plants, affecting growth, nutrient uptake, and stress responses. Since plants absorb these contaminants from soil, the interaction between microplastics and arsenic could increase human exposure to both pollutants through food crops.

2023 Chemosphere 41 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

Mechanistic insight into interactive effect of microplastics and arsenic on growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and soil health indicators

Researchers tested how different types of microplastics interact with arsenic contamination in rice paddy soil, finding that biodegradable PLA microplastics actually increased arsenic uptake by rice plants by up to 39%. In contrast, conventional polyethylene microplastics slightly reduced arsenic absorption. This is an important finding because as agriculture shifts toward biodegradable plastics, they may inadvertently increase the transfer of toxic heavy metals from soil into food crops.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics change the safe production ability of arsenic-stressed rice (Oryza sativa L.) by regulating the antioxidant capacity, arsenic absorption, and distribution in rice

Researchers studied how polyethylene and biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics interact with arsenic contamination to affect rice growth and food safety. They found that the type of microplastic influenced how arsenic accumulated in different parts of the rice plant, with some combinations increasing arsenic levels in the edible grain. The findings raise concerns about microplastic contamination in agricultural soils altering how toxic metals are taken up by food crops.

2025 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 4 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

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

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

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

Interactive impacts of microplastics and arsenic on agricultural soil and plant traits

This study tested how microplastics interact with arsenic, a toxic metal, in agricultural soil growing lettuce. While microplastics alone slightly promoted plant growth, combining them with arsenic significantly reduced lettuce size and health. The findings suggest that microplastics in farm soil could worsen the effects of other pollutants like arsenic, potentially affecting the safety and quality of leafy vegetables that people eat.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 39 citations
Article Tier 2

The Combined Toxic Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics and Arsenate on Lettuce Under Hydroponic Conditions

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics and arsenic together caused more harm to lettuce than either pollutant alone, reducing root growth and chlorophyll content by up to 71%. The arsenic actually helped microplastics penetrate deeper into plant tissue, and the combination made the soil around roots more acidic. This study is important because it shows that microplastics in farm soil can worsen the effects of other contaminants on food crops.

2025 Toxics 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic effects of microplastics and ciprofloxacin co-contamination on arsenic bioaccumulation and microbial dysbiosis in rice soils: Implications for multi-pollutant agroecosystem risks

Researchers studied how microplastics and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin together affect arsenic accumulation in rice plants and soil microbial communities. They found that the combination of these pollutants significantly increased arsenic uptake by rice seedlings and disrupted beneficial soil bacteria more than any single contaminant alone. The study warns that the co-occurrence of microplastics, antibiotics, and heavy metals in agricultural soils could amplify food safety risks.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 2 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

Polyethylene Nanoplastics Intensify Arsenic Toxicity in Lettuce by Altering Arsenic Accumulation and Stress Pathways

Researchers grew lettuce in arsenic-contaminated farmland soil amended with polyethylene nanoplastics and found that nanoplastic exposure increased arsenic accumulation in edible leaves by 35–39%, reduced plant biomass by up to 30%, and disrupted antioxidant metabolism, highlighting compounded food safety risks in contaminated agricultural soils.

2026 Toxics
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene microplastics, arsenic, and their combined contamination on maize seed germination

Researchers studied the individual and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and arsenic on maize seed germination. The study found that low concentrations slightly promoted germination, while higher concentrations of both contaminants significantly inhibited growth, altered antioxidant enzyme activities, and produced synergistic toxic effects when combined.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Effects of polyethylene microplastics, arsenic, and their combined contamination on maize seed germination

Researchers studied the individual and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics and arsenic on maize seed germination. The study found that low concentrations slightly promoted germination, while higher concentrations of both contaminants significantly inhibited growth, altered antioxidant enzyme activities, and produced synergistic toxic effects when combined.

2026 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Response of garlic (Allium sativum L.) to the combined toxicity of microplastics and arsenic

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics and arsenic interact when both are present in soil where garlic is growing. They found that nanoscale plastic particles can enter garlic through the roots and accumulate in plant tissues, and that higher microplastic concentrations actually increased arsenic transport into the edible bulb. The study highlights potential food safety concerns when crops are grown in soil contaminated with both microplastics and heavy metals.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 5 citations