Particle size-dependent biomolecular footprints of interactive microplastics in maize

• Published in: Environmental Pollution
• Main Authors: Pehlivan, Necla, Gedik, Kenan
• Other Authors: RTEÜ, Fen - Edebiyat Fakültesi, Biyoloji Bölümü
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021
• Subjects: Microplastic polymers; Particle size; Defense genes; Photosynthesis; Germination; Arctic
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11436/6474; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116772

The world is dealing with the mismanaged plastic waste found even in the Arctic. The crisis is being tried to solve with the plastivor bugs or bio-plastics, and the marine pollution profiles become priority however, putative phytotoxicity on terrestrial farming have not received significant attention. Hence, morpho-physiological and molecular response in maize seedlings exposed to the most prevalent microplastic (MP) types (PP, PET, PVC, PS, PE) differing in their particle size (75-150 mm and 150 -212 mm) and combinations (PP thorn PET thorn PVC thorn PS thorn PE mix) was analyzed here for a predictive holistic model. While POD1 regulating the oxidative defense showed a slight down-regulation, HSP1 abundance quantified in the 75-150 mmMP lead a significant up-regulation particularly for PET (2.2 fold) PVC (3.3 fold), and the MP mix (6.4 fold). Biochemical imbalance detected at lower sized (75-150 mm) MPs in particular at the MP mix, involved the cell membrane instability, lesser photosynthetic pigments and a conjectural restraint in the photosynthetic capacity along with the accumulated endogenous H2O2 proved that the bigger the particle size the better the cells restore the damage under MP-caused xenobiotic stress. The determination of the impacts of MP pollution in in-vitro agricultural models might guide the development of policies in this direction and help ensure agricultural security by predicting the possible pollution damage. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.