Impact of microplastics on growth, photosynthesis and essential elements in Cucurbita pepo L.

In this study, Cucurbita pepo L., was used as model plant to test the toxic effects, at increasing concentration, of four different kind of microplastics; PP, PE, PVC and PET. All MPs tested, impaired both root and shoot growth. Among all the microplastics, PVC was identified as the most toxic and PE as the less toxic material. PVC decreased the dimensions of the leaf lamina, the values of the photosynthetic performance index and the plant iron concentration to a higher extent in respect to the other treatments.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127238