Impact of microplastics on common duckweed (Lemna minor)

Mikroplastika so delci plastike manjši od 5 mm. Njena prisotnost v različnih ekosistemih je vzbudila različne pomisleke o njenem potencialnem vplivu na organizme in človeka. Znano je, da je sladkovodni ekosistem eden od ključnih ekosistemov, kjer se mikroplastika kopiči in nadaljuje svojo pot v morje in oceane. Glavni vir mikroplastike v vodnem okolju so čistilne naprave, od kjer prihajajo plastični delci iz kozmetičnih izdelkov in sintetična vlakna po pranju oblačil. Večina raziskav se je osredotočila na vplive mikroplastike na organizme po zaužitju. Zelo malo je znano, kako mikroplastika vpliva na rastline v sladkovodnem ekosistemu. V magistrskem delu smo preučevali vpliv različnih tipov mikroplastike na malo vodno lečo (Lemna minor). Opazovali smo vpliv različnih tipov mikroplastike (iz kozmetike, vrečke in bakelita) na dolžino korenin male vodne leče ter kvantitativno preučevali poškodovanost korenin z barvanjem z barvilom Evans Blue. Testirali smo tudi naravne delce, katerih lastnosti so bile primerljive z mikroplastiko. Pri raziskavah smo ugotovili, da mikroplastika ne vpliva na hitrost rasti male vodne leče, ampak ima pomemben vpliv na dolžino korenin rastline.Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. Their occurrence in the environment has given a new concern about their impact on organisms an humans. It is known, that aquatic ecosystem is one of the most important ecosystem regarding occurrence of microplastics and its subsequent transport into marine environment. Waste water treatment plants are the main source of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments due to usage of microplastics in facial scrubbers and tooth paste and disintegration of synthetic clothes that cause generation of microplastics. Scientists are mainly focused on impact of microplastics on organism after ingestion. However, it is not known how microplastics affect freshwater plants. In our work toxicity tests with different types of microplastic (from cosmetics, plastic bag and bakelite) and natural particles on common duckweed Lemna minor were performed. Growth rate, root length and possible root damaging was observed. Microplastic does not impact the growth rate, but changes in root length was observed