Journal Article

Fluorescent carbon dot embedded polystyrene: an alternative for micro/nanoplastic translocation study in leguminous plants

Vandana, Sajith, Karthikeyan, Akash, Joseph, Abey, Vijayan, Athira S., Nair, Baiju G., Gopinath, Nigina

2024

Overview

Micro/nanoplastics are widespread in terrestrial ecosystem. Even though many studies have been reported on the effects of these in marine environment, studies concerning their accumulation and impact on terrestrial ecosystem have been scanty. The current study was designed to determine how terrestrial plants, especially legumes, interact with micro/nanoplastics to gain insights into their uptake and translocation. The paper describes the synthesis of fluorescent carbon dot embedded polystyrene (CDPS) followed by its characterization. Translocation studies at different concentrations from 2 to 100% (v/v) for tracking the movement and accumulation of microplastics in Vigna radiata and Vigna angularis were performed. The optical properties of the synthesized CDPS were investigated, and their translocation within the plants was visualized using fluorescence microscopy. These findings were further validated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the plant sections. The results showed that concentrations higher than 6% (v/v) displayed noticeable fluorescence in the vascular region and on the cell walls, while concentrations below this threshold did not. The study highlights the potential of utilizing fluorescent CDPS as markers for investigating the ecological consequences and biological absorption of microplastics in agricultural systems. This method offers a unique technique for monitoring and analyzing the routes of microplastic accumulation in edible plants, with significant implications for both food safety and environmental health.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: absorption / Accumulation / Aquatic Pollution / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Bioaccumulation / Biomarkers / Biomonitoring / Carbon / Carbon - chemistry / Carbon dots / Cell walls / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecological effects / Ecotoxicology / electron microscopy / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental monitoring / Fabaceae / Farming systems / Fluorescence / Fluorescence microscopy / Food plants / Food safety / Legumes / Leguminous plants / Marine ecosystems / Marine environment / Microplastics / Microscopy / nanoplastics / Optical properties / Plastic debris / Plastic pollution / Polystyrene / Polystyrene resins / Polystyrenes / Research Article / Scanning electron microscopy / Terrestrial ecosystems / Translocation / Vigna angularis / Vigna radiata / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control