Cyto-Genotoxic Effect Causing Potential of Polystyrene Micro-Plastics in Terrestrial Plants

The polystyrene micro-plastics (Ps-MPs) is one of the leading pollutants found in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. While most of the studies on the morphology and cyto-toxicity of MPs have been based on aquatic organisms, their effects on terrestrial plants are still scarcely known. The present study was an attempt to measure the effect of different sizes (80, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 nm) and concentrations (100 and 400 mg/L) of Ps-MPs on the root length and chromosomes of root tip cells of Allium cepa using A. cepa root chromosomal aberration assay. Large size Ps-MPs (4000 and 8000 nm) showed the highest reduction in A. cepa root length; however, the differences were not significant (at p ≤ 0.05), with respect to negative control (Milli-Q water). The mitotic index showed both significant size- and concentration-dependent decreases, being the lowest (12.06%) in 100 nm at 100 mg/L concentration, with respect to the control (25.05%). The chromosomal abnormality index (CAI) and nuclear abnormality index (NAI) showed significant decreases, with respect to negative control. In addition, the induction of micro-nucleated cells was also observed in Allium root tip cells, when treated with MPs of all sizes, which can predict direct DNA damage to the plant cells. Hence, we conclude that most of the MP sizes caused cyto-toxic and nuclear damage by adversely impacting the spindle formation and induction of micro-nucleated cells in Allium cepa root tip cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that showed the effect of considerable size range of Ps-MP sizes on the root length and cell division in plants.