Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics

The presence of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) alongside toxic metals in soil significantly threatens plant health. Current research mainly focuses on the effects of original BMPs. In contrast, the specific impacts of ultraviolet (UV)-aged BMPs and their interaction with Cadmium (Cd) on seed ger...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lei Sun, Ya Liu, Yakun Feng, Zequn Fan, Lei Jiang, Can Lu, Cuiling Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000326
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832590964343963648
author Lei Sun
Ya Liu
Yakun Feng
Zequn Fan
Lei Jiang
Can Lu
Cuiling Jiang
author_facet Lei Sun
Ya Liu
Yakun Feng
Zequn Fan
Lei Jiang
Can Lu
Cuiling Jiang
author_sort Lei Sun
collection DOAJ
description The presence of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) alongside toxic metals in soil significantly threatens plant health. Current research mainly focuses on the effects of original BMPs. In contrast, the specific impacts of ultraviolet (UV)-aged BMPs and their interaction with Cadmium (Cd) on seed germination and growth are unclear. Therefore, this study incubated aged polylactic acid (PLA) MPs through a UV irradiation aging process and used an indoor hydroponic experiment to systematically investigate the single and combined effects of Cd and BMPs (virgin and aged) on pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination, photosynthesis, antioxidant systems, and Cd accumulation. The results showed that after 21 days of UV irradiation (UPLA MPs), PLA MPs formed a fractured surface, demonstrating more detrimental effects on pakchoi than virgin ones. UPLA MPs and Cd alone inhibited pakchoi germination, growth, and photosynthesis, while PLA MPs alone promoted these processes. Combined treatment with Cd and UPLA MPs significantly increased oxidative damage and reduced pakchoi root length, chlorophyll, Mg, Mn, and Zn content. Under the combination of Cd and BMPs, PLA MPs could effectively alleviate the toxic effect of Cd on pakchoi. The results unraveled here emphasized that UPLA MPs, especially aged BMPs, could trigger adverse effects on agro-systems with heavy metals. Therefore, the results of this study can provide a new perspective and reference for the ecological risk evaluation of Cd and BMPs pollution in agricultural soils.
format Article
id doaj-art-7bd35234f8804cb8a6fb29f900bc3fad
institution Kabale University
issn 0147-6513
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj-art-7bd35234f8804cb8a6fb29f900bc3fad2025-01-23T05:26:08ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01289117696Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponicsLei Sun0Ya Liu1Yakun Feng2Zequn Fan3Lei Jiang4Can Lu5Cuiling Jiang6College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210000, ChinaYangtze Three Gorges Technology and Economy Development Co., Ltd, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210000, ChinaCollege of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210000, ChinaCollege of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210000, ChinaCollege of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210000, ChinaCollege of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210000, China; Corresponding author.The presence of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) alongside toxic metals in soil significantly threatens plant health. Current research mainly focuses on the effects of original BMPs. In contrast, the specific impacts of ultraviolet (UV)-aged BMPs and their interaction with Cadmium (Cd) on seed germination and growth are unclear. Therefore, this study incubated aged polylactic acid (PLA) MPs through a UV irradiation aging process and used an indoor hydroponic experiment to systematically investigate the single and combined effects of Cd and BMPs (virgin and aged) on pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination, photosynthesis, antioxidant systems, and Cd accumulation. The results showed that after 21 days of UV irradiation (UPLA MPs), PLA MPs formed a fractured surface, demonstrating more detrimental effects on pakchoi than virgin ones. UPLA MPs and Cd alone inhibited pakchoi germination, growth, and photosynthesis, while PLA MPs alone promoted these processes. Combined treatment with Cd and UPLA MPs significantly increased oxidative damage and reduced pakchoi root length, chlorophyll, Mg, Mn, and Zn content. Under the combination of Cd and BMPs, PLA MPs could effectively alleviate the toxic effect of Cd on pakchoi. The results unraveled here emphasized that UPLA MPs, especially aged BMPs, could trigger adverse effects on agro-systems with heavy metals. Therefore, the results of this study can provide a new perspective and reference for the ecological risk evaluation of Cd and BMPs pollution in agricultural soils.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000326Biodegradable microplasticsCadmiumUltraviolet agedSeed germinationPakchoi
spellingShingle Lei Sun
Ya Liu
Yakun Feng
Zequn Fan
Lei Jiang
Can Lu
Cuiling Jiang
Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Biodegradable microplastics
Cadmium
Ultraviolet aged
Seed germination
Pakchoi
title Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
title_full Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
title_fullStr Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
title_full_unstemmed Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
title_short Aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
title_sort aged polylactic acid microplastics with ultraviolet irradiation stunted pakchoi brassica chinensis l germination and growth with cadmium in hydroponics
topic Biodegradable microplastics
Cadmium
Ultraviolet aged
Seed germination
Pakchoi
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000326
work_keys_str_mv AT leisun agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics
AT yaliu agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics
AT yakunfeng agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics
AT zequnfan agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics
AT leijiang agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics
AT canlu agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics
AT cuilingjiang agedpolylacticacidmicroplasticswithultravioletirradiationstuntedpakchoibrassicachinensislgerminationandgrowthwithcadmiuminhydroponics