2021 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Complex research on the allelopathic effect of macrophytes on cyanobacteria and the effect of microplastics on macrophytes, cyanobacteria, and macrophytes allelopathy on cyanobacteria
| Project/Area Number |
21K14248
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| Research Institution | Saitama University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
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| Keywords | Adsorption / Antioxidants / Cyanobacteria / Macrophytes / Microplastics / Morphology / Oxidative stress / Physiology |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Microplastic exposure responses of two macrophyte species M. roraima and E. densa were tested. We could publish two indexed journal articles from current research. The findings of the articles explained the morphological and physiological response of macrophytes to short-duration exposure to low concentrations of microplastics. Macrophytes were exposed to different concentrations of microplastics for seven days. The MPs were adsorbed to roots, and the responses had relationships to the MP content. The response of M. aeruginosa was also researched and the growth was decreased with the increasing MP concentration and oxidative stress increased. The plant's shoots were not affected, but the root lengths were increased. The effect of the Optical density of cyanobacteria was not significant.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
1: Research has progressed more than it was originally planned.
Reason
We started the research ahead of the acceptance of the research grant due to curiosity. We think with the current budget, and we will be able to expand the research to generate more knowledge. There is a risk of nano-plastics being absorbed into plant tissues and Cyanobacterial responses to nano plastics are hardly known. The Cyanobacterial-Macrophyte co-existence conditions under the influence of nano-plastics have not been studied. Therefore, expansion of research would provide novel and important information on the nano and microplastic exposure in freshwater systems.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Current findings proved that the adsorption of microplastics to the roots of two macrophyte species M. roraima and E. densa were affected by the microplastics in a short duration. Further research will be conducted to investigate an extended period of exposure, about a one-month period. It will be challenging to investigate the effect of interactions for longer durations due to nutrient content management difficulties. But we will explore the impact separately for cyanobacteria and macrophytes. This will provide information about the long-duration exposure adaptation of macrophytes and cyanobacteria to the micro-and nano- plastics. Further, we are planning to investigate microplastic contamination in freshwater systems by collecting water samples and sediments from various water bodies.
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| Causes of Carryover |
We decided to keep the amount of ￥194,759 for the next fiscal year as we have planned following works,
Attend foreign conferences and workshops related to microplastics, Filed works to investigate microplastic contaminations, English correction charges and manuscript publication charges.
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Research Products
(2 results)
