Good news! Microplastics, nanoplastics is mostly alarmism and hysteria!
Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disorder. Please seek immediate medical help! (Caution: satire)
"Researchers in China have found that the water hyacinth—a prolific South American species that has colonized waterways around the world—is highly effective at absorbing microplastics. Within 48 hours, the hyacinths had removed more than half of the plastic particles in highly contaminated water. Remarkably, the plants were still healthy two weeks after the exposure."
"... Despite its reputation as a nuisance, water hyacinth has been shown to clean polluted water, effectively removing agricultural runoff and heavy metals. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
• Eichhornia crassipes demonstrate significant phytoremediation potential for the removal of microplastics from contaminated water bodies.
• The extensive root cap surface area of E. crassipes (>150,000 mm2 per plant) enhances microplastic adsorption capacity.
• Root caps are the primary sites for efficient microplastic entrapment in E. crassipes.
• A stem structure known as a “vascular ring” blocks the movement of microplastics to aerial tissues.
Abstract
Microplastics have emerged as pervasive environmental pollutants, posing significant risks to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems worldwide.
Current remediation strategies—including physical, chemical, and microbial methods—are inadequate for large-scale, in situ removal of microplastics, highlighting the urgent need for alternative solutions.
Phytoremediation, an eco-friendly and cost-effective technology, holds promise in addressing these challenges, though its application to microplastic pollution remains underexplored.
Here we show the capacity of Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth), a fast-growing, floating aquatic plant, to remove microplastics from contaminated water. Our results show that within 48 h, water hyacinth achieved removal efficiencies of 55.3%, 69.1%, and 68.8% for 0.5, 1, and 2 μm polystyrene particles, respectively, with root adsorption identified as the primary mechanism. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that the extremely large and abundant root caps, featuring a total surface area exceeding 150,000 mm2 per plant, serve as the principal sites for the entrapment of microplastics.
Furthermore, a unique “vascular ring” structure within the stem prevents the translocation of microplastics to aerial tissues, safeguarding leaves for potential downstream applications.
This study offers the first microstructural insight into the mechanisms underpinning water hyacinth's exceptional microplastic adsorption capacity and resilience, providing a promising framework for developing phytoremediation strategies to mitigate microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems."
Phytoremediation of microplastics by water hyacinth (open access)
Graphical abstract
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