School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, North Mall, Cork City, Ireland; Environmental Research Institute, Lee Road, Cork City, Ireland.
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Western Gateway Building, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork City, Ireland; Environmental Research Institute, Lee Road, Cork City, Ireland.
Environ Pollut. 2021 Sep 1;284:117183. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117183. Epub 2021 Apr 19.
Plastic pollution is a new, pressing, environmental topic. Microplastics are considered contaminants of emerging concern and, consequently, microplastic research has grown exponentially in the last decade. Here, current knowledge regarding the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on terrestrial plants and aquatic macrophytes is discussed, with a special focus on adsorption, uptake and toxicological effects. Our review reveals that a range of plants and macrophytes can adsorb or internalise plastic particles. Both processes depend on particle characteristics such as size and charge, as well as plant features including a sticky or hydrophobic surface layer. This finding is of concern given that plants and aquatic macrophytes are at the bottom of food webs and are a crucial component of the human diet. Therefore, there is a critical need for improved understanding of adsorption, uptake and impacts of micro- and nanoplastics, and the consequences thereof for trophic transfer, food safety and security. Also, a range of stress responses have been observed for many plant and macrophyte species after both short and long-term exposures to plastic particles. Given that some plastic particles can affect plant productivity, we surmise that plastic particles may potentially impact ecosystem productivity and function. Here we present a synthesis and a critical evaluation of the state of knowledge of micro- and nanoplastics and plants and macrophytes, identifying key questions for future research.
塑料污染是一个新的、紧迫的环境议题。微塑料被认为是具有新兴关注的污染物，因此，在过去十年中，微塑料研究呈指数级增长。在这里，讨论了微塑料和纳米塑料对陆地植物和水生大型植物的影响的现有知识，特别关注吸附、吸收和毒理学效应。我们的综述表明，一系列植物和大型水生植物可以吸附或内化塑料颗粒。这两个过程都取决于颗粒的特性，如大小和电荷，以及植物的特征，包括粘性或疏水性表面层。鉴于植物和水生大型植物处于食物网的底部，是人类饮食的重要组成部分，这一发现令人担忧。因此，迫切需要更好地了解微塑料和纳米塑料的吸附、吸收和影响，以及它们对营养转移、食品安全和保障的影响。此外，许多植物和大型水生植物在短期和长期暴露于塑料颗粒后，都观察到了一系列的应激反应。鉴于一些塑料颗粒会影响植物的生产力，我们推测塑料颗粒可能会对生态系统的生产力和功能产生潜在影响。在这里，我们对微塑料和植物以及大型水生植物的知识现状进行了综合和批判性评估，确定了未来研究的关键问题。
