Microplastics Have Snuck Their Way Into The Leaves Of Plants
Microplastics have practically invaded every corner of the planet, from oceans, animals, and even your morning cup of tea. But now, they’ve finally made their way into plants.
Researchers from Nankai University recently discovered that microplastics have snuck their way into the leaves of plants themselves.
Plant leaves can actually absorb microplastics from the atmosphere directly, resulting in a widespread presence of plastic polymers in vegetation.
In leaves that were collected from several environments, including urban areas and agricultural sites, concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene were detected.
The research team conducted field investigations and laboratory simulation experiments to determine exactly how much plastic has accumulated in plant leaves. It was confirmed that leaf absorption was a significant route for plastic accumulation in plants.
Microplastics have been detected in soil, water, and air. Laboratory studies have shown that plant roots can absorb microplastics.
Ultra-tiny particles of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate move up from the roots of the species Triticum aestivum, Lactuca sativa, and Arabidopsis thaliana.
In urban settings, such as Shanghai, Paris, London, and Southern California, airborne microplastics have been measured at levels between 0.4 and 2,502 items per cubic meter.
Plastic particles are known to deposit on the surfaces of plants. Some studies have reported internal accumulation after exposure to high levels of commercial polystyrene models.
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A previous study in Southport, Australia, described acrylic particles in Chirita sinensis leaves but did not link them to atmospheric levels.
Samples were taken at four locations in Tianjin, China: a public park, a landfill, a university campus, and a Dacron manufacturing site.
Maize plants were also exposed to a controlled amount of atmospheric dust containing microplastics. Before analysis, all plant leaves were washed with filtered distilled water and ethanol. After just one day of maize exposure to plastic-laden dust, there was already measurable absorption of PET in leaf tissue.
The leaves collected near the Dacron factory and the landfill had plastic levels that were about 100 times higher than those found at the university campus. Concentrations of PET reached tens of thousands of nanograms per gram of dry leaf weight at the most polluted sites.
PET and polystyrene were also discovered in nine leafy vegetables. Open-air crops had higher levels than their counterparts grown in greenhouses. Nano-sized PET and polystyrene were detected in the plant tissue. Older leaves and outer leaves contained more plastic than newly grown or inner leaves, suggesting that it accumulates over time.
When abscisic acid was applied to maize roots to chemically induce the closure of stomata, the plants exposed to dust with PET demonstrated a much lower absorption rate in the leaf tissue. This means open stomata are crucial for the absorption of airborne microplastics.
Concentrations increased with leaf age, exposure time, and environmental levels. Further research is needed to assess the ecological and health risks of microplastics in plant leaves.
The study was published in the journal Nature.
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