Airborne microplastics infiltrated plant leaves, raising environmental concerns

Researchers from the University of Nankai have discovered that vegetable leaves can directly absorb microplastics (MPS) from the atmosphere, leading to a widespread presence of plastic polymers in vegetation. Polyethylene concentrations (PET) and polystyrene (PS) have been detected in the sheets collected in several environments, including urban areas and agricultural sites. The study is published in the journal Nature.

The researchers carried out investigations in the field and laboratory simulation experiences to quantify the accumulation of plastic in the vegetable leaves. The absorption of leaves has been confirmed as a significant route for the accumulation of plastic in plants, with translocation evidence in vascular tissue and retention in specialized structures such as trichomes.

The deputies were detected in terrestrial environments, including soil, water and air. Laboratory studies have shown that plant roots can absorb MP, with submicrometer and ps and polymethythacrylate nanometer particles transported upwards of the triticum, lactuca sativa and arabidopsis roots. The absorption of roots through the apoplastic path has been observed, but the translocation into shoots occurs slowly.

Airborne deputies were measured at concentrations between 0.4 and 2,502 articles per cubic meter in urban areas such as Paris, Shanghai, southern California and London. Laboratory experiences have demonstrated the foliar absorption of nanoparticles, notably AG, CUO, TIO₂and CEO₂.

Plastic particles have been shown to settle on plant surfaces, and some studies have reported internal accumulation after exposure to high levels of commercial PS models.

A previous study in Southport, in Australia, reported the presence of acrylic particles in the leaves of Chirita Sinensis but did not quantified them or connected the results to atmospheric levels. An investigation into Lisbon has detected suspected deputies in urban cultivated lettuce, but could not reliably distinguish plastic particles or eliminate potential contamination during the treatment of samples.

The sampling was carried out in four locations in Tianjin, China: a Dacron manufacturing site, a public park, a discharge and a university campus. Additional experiences have exposed corn plants (Zea Mays L.) to atmospheric dust containing MP under controlled conditions. All plant sheets have been washed with filtered distilled water and ethanol to remove surface contaminants before analysis.

The plastic levels in the sheets collected near the Dacron factory and a landfill site were up to two orders of magnitude higher than those found on a university campus.

In the most polluted sites, TEP concentrations have reached tens of thousands of nanograms per gram of dry weight. PS levels have followed a similar scheme, the highest values ​​detected in the leaves of the landfill site.

PET and PS have also been found in nine leafy vegetables, with outdoor crops with higher levels than counterparts grown in greenhouse. PET and PS of Nano-Nano size have been visually confirmed in plant tissues.

The older leaves and the exterior vegetable leaves have accumulated more plastic than the newly cultivated or interior leaves, suggesting an accumulation over time.

The laboratory exposure of dust with dust loaded with plastic resulted in measurable absorption of pets in leaf tissues after a single day. PET was not detected in the roots or stems under similar root exposure conditions. The marked fluorescent and marked particles marked by Europium have enabled a visualization of the stormical entry and subsequent migration through the apoplastic path.

Abscisic acid has been applied to corn roots to chemically induce the stomatic closure. Plants exposed to dust loaded with MPS PET under these conditions have shown significantly lower absorption of the foliar fabric, confirming that open stomates are crucial for the foliar absorption of airborne deputies.

Plastic particles absorbed by the leaves accumulated in measurable quantities on several species and sites. The airborne animal and the PS have entered the leaves by stomata and moved along the internal tracks to the vascular tissues and trichomes.

The concentrations increased with exposure time, environmental levels and the age of the leaves. Measures in the field have shown that the accumulation of plastic in the parts of air plants exceeds what is generally absorbed by the roots.

The generalized detection of polymers and plastic fragments in the parts of edible plants confirms atmospheric exposure as an important entry route in vegetation. As the leaves work as a main source in terrestrial food chains, the accumulated MP presence suggests the potential for exposure to several layers of the ecosystem.

Future research is necessary to assess the ecological and health risks associated with the presence of MPS in vegetable leaves and plastic particles accumulated in animals, insects, microorganisms and humans.

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