Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Molecular mechanisms of toxicity and detoxification in rice (Oryza sativa L.) exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics affect rice seedlings at the molecular level. They found that nanoplastic exposure significantly reduced root and shoot growth by over 50%, while triggering oxidative stress and activating genes related to both toxicity and defense responses. The study provides new insights into how crop plants respond to nanoplastic contamination at the genetic and physiological level.

2023 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 37 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

Nanotoxicological effects and transcriptome mechanisms of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under stress of polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics affect wheat plants at the molecular level using gene expression analysis. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted genes involved in photosynthesis, hormone signaling, and stress responses, ultimately reducing plant growth. The study provides new insights into how nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could harm crop development at a fundamental biological level.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 148 citations
Article Tier 2

The Oryza sativa transcriptome responds spatiotemporally to polystyrene nanoplastic stress

Researchers profiled the full transcriptome of rice roots and leaves at multiple time points during polystyrene nanoplastic exposure, finding that nanoplastics suppress photosynthesis and sugar metabolism while activating plant defense pathways — with effects differing between organs and time points in ways that suggest indirect harm via disruption of plant-microbe interactions.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 10 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

Life-long impacts of nanoplastics to rice plant (Oryza sativa L.): Decreased grain yield with perturbed metallome and soil microbiome

Researchers studied how nano-sized PET plastic particles affect rice plants throughout their entire life cycle at concentrations found in real-world environments. They found that nanoplastic exposure reduced grain quality and yield, disrupted mineral nutrient balance, and significantly altered the soil microbial community. The study highlights a potential threat to global food security, since rice is a staple food for billions of people.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups on rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings: Combined transcriptome, enzymology, and physiology

Researchers exposed rice seedlings to polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface chemistries and found that all types reduced plant growth and photosynthetic ability. The amino-modified (positively charged) nanoplastics caused the most severe damage, reducing shoot growth by over 40% and dry weight by more than 70%. The study revealed that different surface modifications trigger distinct biological responses in the plant, affecting everything from ion transport to protein synthesis.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics affect rice (Oryza sativa L.) quality by interfering metabolite accumulation and energy expenditure pathways: A field study

Researchers conducted a field study examining how polystyrene microplastics affect rice grain quality at the molecular level using metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. They found that microplastic exposure interfered with metabolite accumulation and energy pathways in the rice plants, ultimately reducing grain quality. The study provides real-world evidence that microplastic contamination in agricultural soils can directly compromise the nutritional quality of a major food crop.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 193 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics on the growth, transcription, and metabolism of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and synergistic effects in the presence of iron plaque and humic acid

This study examined how nanoplastics affect rice plant growth, finding that the tiny particles were absorbed by roots and entered plant cells. Nanoplastic exposure reduced important enzyme activity and protein levels in roots, disrupting normal plant metabolism. The presence of iron plaque and humic acid in the soil changed how much nanoplastic the plants took up, suggesting that real-world soil conditions play a key role in how crops are affected.

2024 Environmental Pollution 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic exposure inhibits nitrate uptake and assimilation in wheat plants

This study found that polystyrene microplastics in soil significantly reduced wheat plants' ability to absorb nitrate, an essential nutrient for growth. The microplastics damaged roots and shut down key genes needed for nutrient uptake and processing. This matters because microplastic contamination in farmland could reduce crop yields and lower the nutritional quality of the food we grow.

2024 Environmental Pollution 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity effects of nanoplastics on soybean (Glycine max L.): Mechanisms and transcriptomic analysis

Researchers exposed soybean plants to polystyrene nanoplastics and observed inhibited stem and root growth, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted photosynthesis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that nanoplastics altered the expression of genes involved in plant stress responses, hormone signaling, and metabolic pathways. The study suggests that nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils could negatively affect crop growth and yield at the molecular level.

2022 Chemosphere 61 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

Uptake and translocation of nano/microplastics by rice seedlings: Evidence from a hydroponic experiment

In a hydroponic experiment, researchers showed that both nano-sized (80 nm) and micro-sized (1 micrometer) polystyrene particles were absorbed by rice plant roots and transported up into stems and leaves. The particles traveled through the plant's vascular system and accumulated in cell walls and between cells. This finding is concerning because it demonstrates that microplastics in soil and water can enter food crops like rice and potentially reach people through their diet.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 366 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics in soil impair drought priming-induced low temperature tolerance in wheat

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics in soil affect the cold stress tolerance of drought-primed wheat plants. The study found that nanoplastic contamination impaired the beneficial effects of drought priming on photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism, ultimately reducing grain yield, suggesting that nanoplastic pollution may undermine crop resilience strategies.

2024 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Metabolomics reveals how spinach plants reprogram metabolites to cope with intense stress responses induced by photoaged polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs)

Researchers found that tiny plastic nanoparticles can be absorbed by spinach roots and travel into the edible leaves, disrupting the plant's normal metabolism. Aged (sun-weathered) nanoplastics caused even more severe effects than new ones, triggering widespread changes in the plant's chemical processes. This matters for human health because it shows microplastics can enter our food supply through the vegetables we eat.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Fate of nano/microplastics and associated toxic pollutants in paddy ecosystems: Current knowledge and future perspectives

Researchers reviewed how micro- and nanoplastics enter rice paddies through irrigation, mulch films, and atmospheric deposition, then harm soil health and rice plant growth by disrupting nutrient cycles and increasing oxidative stress. Their findings are especially significant because rice feeds more than half the world's population, yet research on plastic contamination in paddy systems remains very limited.

2024 Earth Critical Zone 3 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

Impact of microplastics from polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films on rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Researchers studied how microplastics from both conventional polyethylene and biodegradable mulch films affect rice growth. Both types of microplastics reduced plant height and weight, caused oxidative stress, inhibited photosynthesis, and altered gene expression related to nutrient uptake. This study is important because it shows that even biodegradable plastics can harm food crops, raising concerns about the quality and safety of rice grown in microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 200 citations
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

How do nanoplastics hijack crop physiology: A review of uptake pathways and agricultural sustainability implications

This research review summarizes how tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can get inside crop plants through their roots and leaves, potentially harming how plants grow and produce food. These ultra-small plastic pieces interfere with how plants absorb nutrients and respond to stress, which could threaten our food supply. Since we eat these crops, understanding how nanoplastics affect plant health is important for protecting both agriculture and human health.

2026 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce cell type-dependent secondary wall reinforcement in rice (Oryza sativa) roots and reduce root hydraulic conductivity

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics penetrating rice roots trigger a cell-type-specific defense response in which the plant reinforces its secondary cell walls with lignin and suberin in key barrier tissues, increasing wall thickness by up to 22% while simultaneously reducing the root's ability to absorb water by nearly 15%.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects and transcriptome mechanisms of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under stress of quinclorac and polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers found that combined exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and the herbicide quinclorac caused greater toxicity to rice than either stressor alone, with transcriptome analysis revealing disrupted pathways in photosynthesis, oxidative stress response, and hormone signaling.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis revealed the toxicity mechanism of individual or combined of microplastic and salt stress on maize

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics combined with salt stress affect maize seedlings, finding that the combination reduced plant growth by nearly 74%, far worse than either stressor alone. Gene and metabolite analysis revealed that the combined stress severely disrupted energy production, antioxidant defenses, and hormone signaling in the plants. This is relevant to food security because microplastic-contaminated agricultural soils with high salt levels could dramatically reduce crop yields.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 9 citations