{"id":29494,"date":"2025-09-17T15:58:01","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:58:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=29494"},"modified":"2025-09-17T15:58:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T15:58:03","slug":"new-study-reveals-nanoplastic-accumulation-in-edible-parts-of-vegetables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/new-study-reveals-nanoplastic-accumulation-in-edible-parts-of-vegetables\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Reveals Nanoplastic Accumulation in Edible Parts of Vegetables"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Researchers at the University of Plymouth have discovered that nanoplastic particles can infiltrate and accumulate in the edible parts of vegetables, posing new questions about food safety and environmental impact.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Plastic pollution is a well-documented global crisis, fragmenting into microplastics and nanoplastics that infiltrate various ecosystems. Adding to growing concerns, a new study from the University of Plymouth has uncovered that these microscopic particles can accumulate in the edible parts of vegetables, potentially posing risks to both human and animal health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0013935125019395\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the journal Environmental Research, is the first to demonstrate that nanoplastics \u2014 some as tiny as one millionth of a centimeter \u2014 can be absorbed into the roots of crops and spread to the parts we eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Utilizing radishes in a controlled hydroponic system, the scientists exposed the plants to a solution containing radiolabeled polystyrene nanoparticles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After five days, they found that nearly 5% of these particles were retained by the root system, with millions of nanoplastics infiltrating the crop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of those, roughly 25% migrated into the edible fleshy roots, while 10% accumulated in the leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Plants have a layer within their roots called the Casparian strip, which should act as a form of filter against particles, many of which can be harmful,&#8221; lead author Nathaniel Clark, a lecturer in physiology at the University of Plymouth, said in a press release. &#8220;This is the first time a study has demonstrated nanoplastic particles could get beyond that barrier, with the potential for them to accumulate within plants and be passed on to anything that consumes them. There is no reason to believe this is unique to this vegetable, with the clear possibility that nanoplastics are being absorbed into various types of produce being grown all over the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study marks a notable advancement in understanding the movement of nanoplastics through the food chain, building on previous research by the team which showed the rapid uptake of plastic nanoparticles by mollusks and fish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This investigation revealed that these tiny pollutants could indeed penetrate and accumulate within plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTo some extent, these findings shouldn\u2019t be a surprise &#8212; after all, in all our previous work we have found microplastic pollution everywhere we have looked for it. However, this study provides clear evidence that particles in the environment can accumulate not only in seafood but also in vegetables,&#8221; added senior author Richard Thompson, the director of the International Marine Litter Research Unit\u00a0at the University of Plymouth. &#8220;This work forms part of our growing understanding on accumulation, and the potentially harmful effects of micro- and nanoparticles on human health.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While these findings underscore a need for further exploration into the impacts of nanoplastics on environmental and human health, this study provides crucial evidence of how pervasive plastic pollution can be, potentially making its way onto our plates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.plymouth.ac.uk\/news\/first-evidence-that-plastic-nanoparticles-can-accumulate-in-the-edible-parts-of-vegetables\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">University of Plymouth<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plastic pollution is a well-documented global crisis, fragmenting into microplastics and nanoplastics that infiltrate various ecosystems. Adding to growing concerns, a new study from the University of Plymouth has uncovered that these microscopic particles can accumulate in the edible parts of vegetables, potentially posing risks to both human and animal health. The research, published in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,10],"tags":[372],"class_list":["post-29494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food-nutrition","category-sustainability","tag-university-of-plymouth"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Plastic pollution is a well-documented global crisis, fragmenting into microplastics and nanoplastics that infiltrate various ecosystems. Adding to growing concerns, a new study from the University of Plymouth has uncovered that these microscopic particles can accumulate in the edible parts of vegetables, potentially posing risks to both human and animal health. The research, published in&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29494"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29523,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29494\/revisions\/29523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}