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Nanoplastics Pollution Threatens Sustainable Nitrogen Fixation in Agroecosystems by Disrupting Legume–Rhizobium Symbiosis

delete2026-07-10
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PRE
AI
Q
Quanlong Wang
H
Hongwei Liu
X
Xinyi Wu
M
Meseret Amde
Z
Zhangguo Wu
W
Weichen Zhao
Z
Zhiguo Pei
Y
Yongguang Yin
M
Maoyong Song
谭志强 (Zhiqiang Tan) *
芮玉奎 (Yukui Rui) *
Q
Qinghua Zhang
J
Jason Christopher White
B
Baoshan Xing *
DOI:10.1021/acsnano.6c03667delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
The rhizobium–legume symbiosis plays a vital role in the global nitrogen cycle. Although microplastics have been shown to affect this symbiotic system, the accumulation and impacts of nanoplastics (NPs) in rhizobia and their root nodules remain poorly understood, particularly regarding the interactive effects of NPs of different sizes on symbiotic nitrogen fixation. This study demonstrated that polystyrene (PS) NPs exhibited a significant size difference effect on rhizobia and their symbiotic nitrogen-fixing association with soybean (Glycine max). We found that both rhizobia and soybean nodules efficiently internalized PS NPs, with differently sized NPs showing mutual enhancement during the cellular uptake of rhizobia. 100 mg/kg of 20 nm PS NPs severely disrupted the symbiotic nitrogen fixation, reducing nitrogenase activity by 51.3% in single exposures and 28.6% in combined exposure to 200 nm PS NPs. This observed disruption caused by 20 nm PS NPs was associated with suppressed nodule formation (26.0% reduction in number, 50.4% decrease in fresh biomass), diminished leghemoglobin content (64.9% reduction), impaired nutrient acquisition (26.5% decrease in nodule Mo content), reduced rhizobia infection efficiency, impaired plant growth, and modified expression of nodulation- and nitrogen-fixation-related genes. These findings revealed that small-sized PS NPs posed a substantial threat to the rhizobium–legume symbiosis, underscoring the ecological risks of NP pollution in agricultural systems.
Keywords:
Nitrogen
Peptides and proteins
Plant derived food
Plants
Soils
polystyrene nanoplastics
rhizobium−legume symbiosis
nitrogen fixation
soybean
toxicity
transcriptome analysis

Journal

ACS Nano cover
ACS Nano
IF:
16
Papers:
2.6W
Citations:
25.6W

Organization

T
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Scholars:
13
Papers: 11
Citations: 0
U
University of Massachusetts
Scholars:
765
Papers: 464
Citations: 3.5W
C
china agricultural university
Scholars:
4.9W
Papers: 2.9W
Citations: 43
U
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Scholars:
5.7K
Papers: 2.3K
Citations: 24.6W
H
Haramaya University
Scholars:
2.0K
Papers: 1.2K
Citations: 1.0K
C
chinese academy of sciences
Scholars:
54.9W
Papers: 44.5W
Citations: 703
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