Water harvesting is a core technology for collecting fresh water in arid areas. In this study, we design a three-dimensional cactus stem-inspired water harvesting system (WHS) with directional transport of absorbed fog. The bioinspired WHS consists of two distinct functions. One is an effective water-absorbing function with an antievaporating feature, and the other is an on-demand water-releasing function. The excellent water absorption capability of a mucilage-filled cactus stem covered with a cuticle is mimicked by a cylindrical double structural system (DS) comprising an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel with good water retention capacity and a superhydrophobic copper mesh (SHPM) that prevents the re-evaporation of absorbed water. DS harvests water at a rate of 209 mg cm–2 h–1 and exhibits enhanced water collecting performance, i.e., 1.2, 1.3, and 2 times higher than that of the superhydrophilic IPN hydrogel, SHPM, and pristine copper mesh (PTM), respectively. The detailed fog harvesting mechanism of DS is examined through an X-ray imaging technique, and the water harvesting mechanism is described in terms of volumetric expansion of IPN hydrogel, absorption of microdroplets on mesh humps, and thickness of the water-film between mesh fibers. In addition, the function of water release is demonstrated with the aid of the thermoresponsive property of the IPN hydrogel. This biomimetic WHS may aid in developing effective three-dimensional plant-inspired fog collectors.
Particulate matter (PM) has become a severe environmental issue, and ultrafine PM particles such as PM2.5 or PM1 can cause various complications and respiratory diseases to human beings. In particular, heavy metals contained in PM particles can contaminate edible plants; for example, plant leaves are exposed to PM particle-laden raindrops. The contaminated edible plants can injure the human health by ingestion, so a detailed understanding on the accumulation of PM particles inside edible plants is essential. In this study, we investigate the infiltration of PM particles in plant tissues with a hypothesis that ultrafine PM particles are absorbed through stomatal pathways. As an edible test plant, Perilla frutescens is selected. Drops of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) suspension are deposited on a leaf of P. frutescens to simulate the scenario where PM particle-laden raindrops fall on patulous stomata of the test plant. To examine AuNP adsorption on the P. frutescens foliar surface and diffusional AuNP absorption through stomatal apertures, we investigate three physical dynamics of AuNPs suspended in a sessile drop: sedimentation, evaporation-driven convective flow, and shrinkage of the drop interface. Quantitative information on the 3D spatial distribution of AuNPs in plant tissues was measured by X-ray imaging and two-photon excitation microscopy.
Tillandsia usneoides in epiphytic bromeliads takes up water through absorptive trichomes on the shoot surface under extreme environmental conditions. Although previous studies revealed the way by which T. usneoides absorbs water and prevents water loss, its water transport remains unclear.We characterized structures of trichome wings of T. usneoides. Wing length-to-thickness ratio of 136 and trichome interval (d)-to-wing length (l ) ratio (d/l ) smaller than 1 caused the water film to flatten the wings sequentially, resulting in domino-like water transport. A hingelike linkage between wing and outer ring cells and the wing size longer than the elastocapillary length (L EC ) brought about this unique reconfiguration, which is the flattening and recovery of wings.Tillandsia usneoides transported water rapidly on the surface as the water film propagated on the exterior trichomes with flexible wings and the transport distance at the macroscopic scale grew as t x with x = 0.68 AE 0.04, unlike the conventional scaling of t 0.5 .Empirical and theoretical investigations proved our assumption that external water transport with the domino-like effect predominated over internal vascular transport. Biomimetic trichome wings simulated the domino-like water transport, highlighting the important role of flexible wing arrays.
Contamination of vegetables due to the foliar uptake of atmospheric toxic elements could pose severe health risks. However, the uptake mechanisms of potencially toxic elements (PTEs) from the atmosphere and translocation by plant leaves remain unclear. In this study, carboxylic acid-functionalized water-soluble CdSe/ZnS quantum dot nanoparticles (QD NPs) were used as an experimental particle model of PTEs in the edible plant garlic chive (Allium tuberosum). A droplet of QD NP suspension was deposited to simulate the conditions of raindrops containing metal particles falling on a plant leaf. The 3D spatial distribution of QD NPs in plant leaves was measured using three complementary imaging techniques: synchrotron X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), nano-CT, and two-photon microscopy (TPM). The TPM and micro-CT results revealed that QD NPs deposited on garlic chive leaves penetrated the plant leaves. Nano-CT images showed that QD NPs are absorbed into mesophyll cells and phloem vessels. The results of TEM and TPM imaging demonstrated that QD NPs penetrate through the leaves and translocate in the direction of the stem. The use of these emerging imaging techniques improved the ability to detect and visualize NPs in a plant leaf. These observations also provide mechanistic insights into foliar metal uptake and their translocation and accumulation.
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