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Microplastics Hinder Plant Photosynthesis, Study Finds


An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesize, according to a new assessment. The analysis estimates that between 4% and 14% of the world's staple crops o...

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: The pollution of the planet by microplastics is significantly cutting food supplies by damaging the ability of plants to photosynthesize, according to a new assessment. The researchers estimated that microplastic pollution could increase the number at risk of starvation by another 400 million in the next two decades, calling that an "alarming scenario" for global food security. When taken up by plants, microplastics can block nutrient and water channels, induce unstable molecules that harm cells and release toxic chemicals, which can reduce the level of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll.

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