Abstract
Microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid coexist in the aquatic environment. Duckweed was exposed to a range of concentrations (0.1–1000 μg L−1) of solutions containing polypropylene (PP) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) for 14 days to measure their toxicity. The result showed the single and combined PP and PFOA treatments did not significantly influence the growth of duckweed. The greatest PP and PFOA concentrations of combined pollution affect plant chlorophyll. Moreover, the combined treatment of duckweed consistently resulted in increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating oxidative damage. As an antioxidant stress response, the combination-treated plants were encouraged to produce superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). Meanwhile, 3519 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified in the duckweed rhizosphere. Proteobacteria was the most predominant microbial community. Shannon, Simpson, and Chao1 discovered that microbial communities changed in response to single and combination PP and PFOA treatments, with decreased diversity and increased abundance. In addition, SEM analysis also revealed that the combined treatment significantly phyllosphere microorganisms. The findings of this investigation add to our knowledge of how PP and PFOA affect duckweed and the rhizospheric microorganisms, expanding the theoretical basis for employing duckweed in complex contamination.
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This work was supported by the Chengdu University of Technology Research Startup Fund (10912-KYQD2021-01944) and the Open Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironmental Protection (SKLGP2022K023).
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The design and conception of the study were contributions from all authors. The preparation of the material, gathering, and analysis of the data were carried out by Qi Li, Jiarui Jiang, Yiyang Lan, Shiyun Kang, Yixia Yang, and Jiahui Zhang. Qi Li wrote the first draft of the manuscript, and all authors commented on prior drafts. The final manuscript was read and approved by all writers.
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Li, Q., Jiang, J., Lan, Y. et al. Combined toxic effects of polypropylene and perfluorooctanoic acid on duckweed and periphytic microorganisms. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 108606–108616 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30006-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30006-9