Plants emit sulfate-, phosphate- and metal-containing nanoparticles

Abstract

As an important part of nature, the role of plants in the material cycle has been widely studied. Nanoparticles, as a common form of existence, have also been con rmed to be absorbed and retained by plants, but there are few studies on the environmental effects of exhaled nanoparticles from plants. In this paper, a sampling device is designed to sample the exhaled substances from plants in Fogang, Qingyuan, Guangdong province and Liushutang, Hunan Province, and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. It is found that plants emit a large number of nanoparticles. The particle diameter is mostly between 50-300nm, usually sulfate and phosphate. The discovery of nanoparticles emitted by plants makes an important supplement to the respiration of plants. It is estimated that about 5.066×1019 nanoparticles are produced by plants every month. These particles have a similar effect to anthropogenic sulfate particles but have a smaller particle size and have an important impact on global cooling and rainfall.

Levels of Dry Deposition Submicron Black Carbon on Plant Leaves and the Associated Oxidative Potential

“…During the periods of leaf development and expansion, leaves could emit methanol in the range from 10.0 to 26.8 µg g −1 [38]. Zhang et al [39] also found that the leaves of four plants could emit a great amount of nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 50 to 300 nm, which are composed of sulfate, phosphate, and metals. In contrast, few studies illustrated that inorganic carbon (e.g., BC) could be emitted from the leaves of plants to date.…”