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POLLUTION IMPACTS

Plastic and plants

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Reports on the widespread presence of plastic particles in the environment have raised concerns about whether these particles could be taken up by plants and end up on our plates. An experimental study now reveals a mechanism through which nanoplastics can make their way into plant roots.

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Fig. 1: Plastic arrives in agroecosystems via a range of different input pathways.

Dahlhaus Kniese / Alamy Stock Photo

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Correspondence to Matthias C. Rillig.

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Rillig, M.C. Plastic and plants. Nat Sustain 3, 887–888 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0583-9

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