The joint toxicity of polyethylene microplastic and phenanthrene to wheat seedlings

Due to wide distribution, easy production, and difficult degradation, microplastic pollution has become a new environmental problem that has attracted worldwide attention. However, there is little information about the effects of microplastics in soil and their combined pollution with other organic pollutants on crop growth. In this study, we conducted soil culture experiments to evaluate the effects of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 8% w/w) individual and combined with phenanthrene (100 mg kg −1 ) on wheat growth for 15 days. Under PE-MPs alone and combined with phenanthrene exposure, dose-dependent toxicities in biomass, shoot height and root length were observed. Over 1% PE-MPs stimulate wheat root elongation. Compared with single phenanthrene treatment, the co-contamination of PE-MPs and phenanthrene reduces the accumulation of phenanthrene in wheat roots and leaves. In the range of 0–5%, the activity of wheat root antioxidant enzymes increases with increasing PE-MP concentration; but both phenanthrene and high concentrations (8%) of PE-MPs cause damage to the antioxidant system in wheat roots. In the presence or absence of phenanthrene, the photosynthetic pigment concentration of wheat leaves shows a dual concentration effect of low promotion and high inhibition under PE-MPs stress. The single pollution of PE-MPs destroys the photosynthetic system of wheat leaves, while the co-contamination of PE-MPs and phenanthrene exacerbates this destruction. Therefore, the co-contamination of PE-MPs and phenanthrene causes greater damage to wheat growth. Our findings can help to evaluate the individual and comprehensive toxicity of microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to crops. • Combined pollution of PE-MPs and phenanthrene exhibits higher toxicity. • PE-MPs stimulate root elongation, but inhibit shoot weight at high concentrations. • The activity of antioxidant enzyme system in roots is increased by PE-MPs. • The effect of PE-MPs on photosynthesis shows low promotion and high inhibition.