New Perspective on the Nanoplastics Disrupting the Reproduction of an Endangered Fern in Artificial Freshwater

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02882
• Publication Date: 2019-10-16T22:42:21Z
• Authors: Wenke Yuan; Yanfei Zhou; Xiaoning Liu; Jun Wang
• Keywords: Ferns; Nanoparticles; Polystyrenes; Fresh Water; 01 natural sciences; Water Pollutants, Chemical; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

The potential risks of micro/nanoplastics on the ecological environment, particularly aquatic fauna, have been realized in recent years. However, information about its effects plants is scarce. In this study, a four-week exposure experiment was conducted to investigate varying polystyrene nanoplastics concentration (PS-NPs, 0-100 μg/mL) early development an endangered plant, Ceratopteris pteridoides. Fluorescent observations demonstrated that PS-NPs were adsorbed and accumulated spore surface C. pteridoides rapidly massively with increasing time. adsorption accumulation posed negative effect imbibition, causing 2.3-22.4% reduction final size. Spore germination gametophyte sex differentiation both negatively affected by PS-NP exposure, resulting 10.4-88.0% inhibition ratio 2.9-53.4% hermaphroditic ratio. Additionally, observed penetrate into roots gametophytes. Higher (100 can even induce pathological changes gametophytes, although low incidence (4.9%). results above indicated caused series disruptions from imbibition stages, are likely pose eco-physiological risk reproductive success ferns.