A newly developed testing method has confirmed that plants can absorb nanoplastics from soil into their roots.
What's happening?
Researchers at Graz University of Technology in Austria and the Austrian Centre for Electron Microscopy and Nanoanalysis grew winter wheat in planting trays with soil that contained nanoplastic particles.
They attached traces of gold to the nanoplastics to help make them visible. To prevent falsified results, the gold nanoparticles were encased in plastic so that they would not come into contact with water, soil, or plant roots.
After a few weeks, the team found gold particles in the roots of the plants, suggesting that they had absorbed the nanoplastics.
"Thanks to the gold labeling, the plastic particles can be clearly identified under an electron microscope," project manager Johannes Rattenberger said in a news release. "In our experiments, we can track exactly how many plastic particles the plants absorb and how far they are transported within the plant."
Why is this study important?
Though we are aware that microplastics and nanoplastics are present in agricultural soil, the extent to which plants absorb these particles remains uncertain; this study looked to fill that knowledge gap.
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"The analyses of our previous laboratory tests suggest that agricultural crops in principle absorb nanoplastics," Rattenberger said. "Further research will have to show the extent to which this happens, in which particular parts of the plant nanoplastics accumulate and what differences there are between different plant species."
Meanwhile, soil isn't the only means by which microplastics can contaminate crops. One recent study suggested that airborne microplastics can be absorbed through leaves.
Other research has documented microplastics in fruits and vegetables, salt, sugar, rice, milk, and beer, and a 2024 study found these tiny plastic particles in 90% of tested protein sources, including tofu, chicken, and beef.
While scientists are still investigating the health impacts of microplastics exposure, it has been linked to reduced blood flow to the brain and liver fibrosis, among other concerns.
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I want them out now 🚫 What's being done about microplastics?
Because microplastics are already present in air, soil, food, and water, it's impossible to avoid them.
However, individuals can reduce their exposure by limiting their reliance on single-use plastics. Using less plastic limits contamination by stopping the problem at its source.
Popular alternatives to plastic include canvas tote bags for grocery shopping, reusable water bottles, and shampoo bars.
Scientists are also discovering new ways to eliminate microplastics that have already entered our environment. For instance, one team is using egg whites to remove these pollutants from water.
Another group of scientists is investigating how biochar, a type of farm waste, could rid agricultural soil of microplastics.
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