Patrizia Brunetti and Davide Marzi participated in the 6th Edition of the International Conference MICRO 2026 Plastic Pollution from Macro to Nano in Cádiz, Spain. Davide delivered an oral presentation “Uptake and translocation of microplastics from sewage sludge by the fern Pteris vittata”, sharing research conducted within the MOBILES on the fern’s potential role in microplastic phytoremediation.
Sewage sludge application is one pathway through which microplastics enter agricultural soils. Once there, these particles are difficult to remove, prompting researchers to explore whether plants could help address this contamination. This approach, known as phytoremediation, uses plants to take up or stabilise pollutants. Pteris vittata is already known for its ability to accumulate arsenic, making it an interesting candidate for investigating the plant’s response to other contaminants.
The study examined the fern’s ability to take up microplastics from soil amended with increasing proportions of contaminated sewage sludge. Several types of plastic polymers were detected in the roots, with some also present in the fronds. These findings indicate that the fern can both take up microplastics and transport them from roots to aboveground tissues. This uptake and transport provide a basis for investigating whether Pteris vittata could contribute to removing microplastics from contaminated soils. Its potential will also depend on how well the plant grows under these conditions. Higher sludge proportions were associated with reduced root and frond growth, highlighting the importance of studying contaminant accumulation alongside plant development.
The fern’s ability to accumulate arsenic adds another dimension to this research. Microplastics can bind metals and metalloids, potentially changing how these contaminants move through the soil and how readily plants can take them up. Future research will explore these interactions to better understand what they could mean for plant growth and phytoremediation in soils containing mixtures of pollutants.
