Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Green synthesis of magnetic silver/zinc/iron nanocomposite mitigates detrimental effects of polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics and Arsenic and ameliorates biochemical compositions in Triticum aestivum L

Researchers tested a plant-derived silver/zinc/iron nanocomposite (Ag/Zn/Fe) as a protective treatment for wheat exposed to both nanoplastics (PMMA particles) and arsenic, finding the nanocomposite reduced oxidative damage and heavy metal absorption in the plants, suggesting a potential agricultural tool to protect crops from combined plastic and heavy metal pollution.

2025 Plant Stress 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoparticle-driven defense in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Enhancing antioxidant and rhizosphere responses under arsenic and microplastic stress

Researchers tested whether silicon, silicon dioxide, and silver nanoparticles could protect wheat from combined arsenic and microplastic stress in soil, finding that all three nanoparticle types improved antioxidant activity, reduced oxidative damage, and supported rhizosphere microbial community recovery.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Article Tier 2

Ameliorating arsenic and PVC microplastic stress in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using copper oxide nanoparticles: an environmental bioremediation approach

Researchers studied the combined stress of PVC microplastics and arsenic on barley plants, along with the potential mitigating effect of copper oxide nanoparticles. They found that increasing levels of microplastics and arsenic significantly reduced plant growth, photosynthesis, and biomass while increasing oxidative stress markers. Application of copper oxide nanoparticles substantially improved plant health by boosting antioxidant defenses and reducing oxidative damage.

2024 BMC Plant Biology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Iron minerals: A frontline barrier against combined toxicity of microplastics and arsenic

Researchers investigated the interactions between microplastics, arsenic, and the iron mineral goethite in soil and their combined effects on wheat germination. They found that while microplastics reduced arsenic accumulation in wheat, the combination of both contaminants still impaired plant growth. The study suggests that goethite can serve as a frontline barrier that mitigates the combined toxicity of microplastics and arsenic in contaminated soils.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 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

Fe2O3-modified graphene oxide mitigates nanoplastic toxicity via regulating gas exchange, photosynthesis, and antioxidant system in Triticum aestivum

Researchers found that iron oxide-modified graphene oxide nanoparticles can mitigate nanoplastic toxicity in wheat by improving gas exchange, photosynthesis, and antioxidant defense systems, offering a potential nanomaterial-based strategy for protecting crops from plastic pollution.

2022 Chemosphere 30 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

Alleviation ofNanoplastic Stress in Rice: Evidencefrom Biochemical, Cytological, Physiological, and Transcriptome Analysis

Researchers investigated nanoplastic stress responses and mitigation strategies in two rice cultivars through biochemical, cytological, physiological, and transcriptome analyses, testing whether molybdenum oxide nanoparticles could alleviate toxicity via heteroaggregation with nanoplastics. Results confirmed nMo reduced oxidative damage markers and that the wild-derived cultivar S18 maintained better physiological function under combined nMo and nanoplastic treatment than cultivated rice.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

ZnO nanoparticle-based seed priming modulates early growth and enhances physio-biochemical and metabolic profiles of fragrant rice against cadmium toxicity

Researchers studied how zinc oxide nanoparticles applied to rice seeds could help the plants resist cadmium toxicity in contaminated soils. The study found that this seed treatment substantially improved early growth and strengthened the plants' biochemical defenses. These findings suggest a potential strategy for growing crops more safely in soils contaminated with heavy metals.

2021 Journal of Nanobiotechnology 174 citations
Article Tier 2

How polystyrene nanoparticles and cadmium affect the growth, physiology, metabolic and ionomic profile of early-stage wheat seedlings individually and in combination

Researchers exposed two wheat cultivars to polystyrene nanoplastics and cadmium individually and in combination, finding the combined exposure caused the greatest oxidative stress, metabolic disruption, and ionomic imbalance, while one cultivar (HS-490) showed consistently better tolerance across all stress conditions.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Mitigating the effects of PVC microplastics and mercury stress on rye (Secale cereale L.) plants using zinc oxide−nanoparticles

Researchers applied zinc oxide nanoparticles to rye plants exposed to PVC microplastics and mercury in soil, finding that ZnO-NPs mitigated some of the toxic effects by improving nutrient uptake and reducing oxidative stress. The study suggests nanoparticle-based approaches may help protect crops in microplastic- and heavy metal-contaminated soils.

2024 Land Degradation and Development 5 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

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

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

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

Responses of individual and combined polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics on hormonal content, fluorescence/photochemistry of chlorophylls and ROS scavenging capacity in Lemna minor under arsenic-induced oxidative stress

Researchers exposed duckweed plants to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics under arsenic-induced stress and measured effects on hormones, photosynthesis, and antioxidant responses. They found that nanoplastics altered how plants responded to arsenic toxicity, with some combinations reducing oxidative damage while others worsened it. The study reveals that nanoplastic interactions with heavy metals in plants are complex and depend on the specific plastic type involved.

2023 Free Radical Biology and Medicine 42 citations
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

Effects of inorganic and organic selenium intervention on resistance of radish to arsenic stress

Researchers studied how organic and inorganic selenium supplements affect arsenic uptake in radish plants under arsenic stress conditions. They found that organic selenium was more effective than inorganic selenium at reducing arsenic absorption and improving the plants' antioxidant defenses. While not directly about microplastics, the study contributes to understanding how soil amendments can help crops resist environmental contaminant stress.

2022 Italian Journal of Food Science 55 citations
Article Tier 2

RETRACTED: Proteomic modulation by arsenic and microplastic toxicity in the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings

This retracted study originally investigated how iron oxide nanoparticles might protect wheat seedlings from the combined toxic effects of arsenic and PVC microplastics in soil. The researchers had reported that the nanoparticles helped restore normal protein activity and growth in the wheat plants. Note: this paper has been retracted, meaning the scientific community has identified concerns with the findings.

2024 South African Journal of Botany 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Alleviation ofNanoplastic Stress in Rice: Evidencefrom Biochemical, Cytological, Physiological, and Transcriptome Analysis

Researchers used biochemical, cytological, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses to investigate nanoplastic stress in two rice cultivars and the mitigating effect of molybdenum oxide nanoparticles (nMo), finding that nMo heteroaggregates with nanoplastics and reduces oxidative stress markers including H2O2 and MDA by 9-19%. The wild-derived cultivar S18 showed superior cellular protection compared to cultivated MeiXiangZhan, suggesting genetic variation in nanoplastic tolerance.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Oryza rufipogon and nanoparticles mitigate nanoplastic toxicity by modulating lignin, cell wall thickening, and carbohydrate metabolism

Researchers compared wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) and cultivated rice under nanoplastic stress, finding that wild rice suffered far less growth and chlorophyll loss due to greater lignin deposition, stronger antioxidant defenses, and activation of cell wall-strengthening genes, while adding nano-selenium partially restored growth in both varieties.

2025 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
Article Tier 2

Zinc ions enhance tolerance to nanoplastics stress in rice seedlings: Advancing the development and optimization of traditional zinc fertilizers

Researchers tested whether traditional zinc sulfate fertilizer could help rice seedlings tolerate polystyrene microplastic stress, as an alternative to zinc oxide nanoparticles which carry their own environmental risks. They found that appropriate zinc levels reduced oxidative damage through different mechanisms in shoots versus roots, restoring photosynthesis and development. The findings offer a practical, lower-risk strategy for protecting crops from microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2 citations