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Aged and nano-sized polylactic acid enhanced arsenic accumulation and phytotoxicity in rice seedlings: Compared with
Qiuying An1, Zhuo Zhen1, Fanyu Lin2
1State Key Laboratory of Regional and Urban Ecological Security, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China.
Abstract:
Rice is significantly impacted by the combined pollution of arsenic and plastic during cultivation, raising serious food safety concerns. However, the role of micro(nano)plastics in arsenic accumulation and the underlying toxic mechanisms remains unclear. Therefore, this research employed fluorescent labeling and laser denudation techniques to observe the in-situ distribution of polylactic acid (PLA) and arsenic in rice seedlings, aiming to elucidate the carrier impact of PLA on plant arsenic accumulation. It examined the effects of varying aged and sized PLA on total arsenic accumulation in plants, and investigated the effects of their combined pollution on the metabolic pathways of rice seedlings by untargeted metabolomics to elucidate potential toxic mechanism. The results indicated that PLA was an effective carrier, which co-transported with arsenic through xylem and accumulated in the veins of rice seedlings, thereby increasing total arsenic accumulation. Their combined pollution targeted the TCA cycle and phenylalanine biosynthesis as critical metabolic hubs, thus influenced downstream metabolites associated with oxidative stress resistance and impacted the growth of rice seedlings. This study confirmed the co-transport mechanism of PLA and arsenic via in-situ detection, which will enhance understanding of the mechanisms on which micro(nano)plastics increase the accumulation of heavy metals in plants and their health risks.
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