Microplastics are increasingly found in unexpected places, even within human blood circulation, and new findings show these tiny particles in plant leaves. How do they reach this point? The evidence points to water transport through plant structures, suggesting that plastic debris is lingering in the atmosphere and settling into plant habitats.
Researchers at the University of Prešov in Slovakia, while studying organisms living in the small pools that form in the axils of thistle leaves, observed that these pockets of water also contained small pieces of plastic in addition to the organisms they were studying.
In the plant genus Dipsaccus, leaves grow opposite each other along the stem, with the leaf-stem junction forming a container-like structure called a telmatal that can collect rainwater. The study authors describe these tiny accumulations as a common yet often overlooked aquatic microcosm that can play a role in pollutant transport within ecosystems.
Surprisingly, fragments and fibers of varying colors were found in these telmatal water bodies, with some pieces measuring up to 2.4 millimeters in length and later identified as microplastics. Researchers questioned how this water could become contaminated so quickly, given its short history, and, after ruling out local sources of contamination, concluded that the detected fragments most likely originate from a polluted atmosphere, as noted in the BioRisk publication.
Another possibility considered is that snails and other organisms might move plastic fragments from soil or other plants into these micro-reservoirs. The researchers emphasized that this first detection of microplastics in plant-created small water reservoirs demonstrates multiple pathways of pollution spread and suggests that no ecosystem is completely free from contamination. This finding, shared by Katarína Fogašová, Peter Manko, and Jozef Obona from the University of Prešov, is an important reminder of the omnipresent reach of microplastic pollution.
The researchers also propose that the plant involved in the discovery, a cardencha plant, could serve as a natural detector of microplastic levels in a given ecosystem, offering a practical way to monitor pollution using existing plant structures.
Microplastics, often microscopic, have repeatedly been found in various substances, including mineral waters, table salt, and other commonly consumed foods. There is growing evidence of plastic particles in human blood, lungs, and other internal tissues, underscoring the pervasiveness of this pollution and the need for ongoing monitoring and mitigation efforts across environments and food chains.
Reference work: BioRisk, 87433, Pensoft Publishers. These findings underscore the necessity of expanding surveillance for contaminants in natural water bodies and consumer products alike, and they highlight the potential role of plant-based reservoirs as early indicators of environmental microplastic presence.
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