SUN Jianqiang, WANG Danqiong, WU Juan, ZHANG Anping
Journal of Zhejiang University of Technology.
2025, 53(6):
591.
Micro/nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) can be absorbed and accumulated by plants, but their impact on plant toxicity, oxidative stress, and nutritional quality remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of polystyrene (PS) particles and polystyrene particles containing phthalic acid esters (PAEs) (PS-PAEs particles) on cell viability, oxidative stress, and nutritional quality in lettuce cells. The results showed that exposure to PS and PS-PAEs particles reduced cell viability by 6.50% and 21.22%, respectively. The mass fractions of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde in the cells increased by 68.60% and 66.74%, and 34.29% and 67.07%, respectively. Meanwhile, the activities of catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase decreased by 9.60% and 12.52%, 23.36% and 31.37%, and 31.67% and 30.17%, respectively, indicating that the particles caused oxidative damage and inhibited enzyme activities in lettuce cells. Consequently, the mass fractions of vitamin C, soluble sugar, and soluble protein in the cells decreased by 6.88% and 29.37%, 14.51% and 22.60%, and 33.39% and 47.74%, respectively. Compared to PS particles, PS-PAEs particles exhibited greater toxicity to lettuce cells, likely due to the additional damage caused by PAEs released from the PS-PAEs particles. The study suggests that MPs/NPs pose potential risks to plants by inducing oxidative stress, impairing cell viability, and reducing nutritional quality.