انجمن علوم و صنایع غذایی ایران مجله علوم و صنایع غذایی ایران 2008-8787 23 174-ویژه نامه 2026 07 23 A Comparative Study on the Effects of Nano- and Microplastics on Nutrient Element Accumulation and Physiological Performance in Arugula (Eruca sativa L.): Implications for Food Crop Safety A Comparative Study on the Effects of Nano- and Microplastics on Nutrient Element Accumulation and Physiological Performance in Arugula (Eruca sativa L.): Implications for Food Crop Safety 205 220 28958 10.48311/fsct.2026.119316.83062 FA Afrah Toma Kalaf Department of Biology, College of Education, Samarra University Saeb Jasim Mohammed 2. Department of Biotechnolog. College of Applied Science . Samarra University Marwan Abdulrazzaq Kamil 3. Assistant Lecturer at Northern Technical University / Technical Institute Al-Dour. Journal Article 2026 02 13 Plastic pollution in irrigation water poses an emerging threat to agricultural systems. This study compared the effects of nanoplastics (NPs, 248 nm) and microplastics (MPs, 34 μm) on arugula (Eruca sativa L.) exposed to 10–100 mg/L concentrations justified by Tigris River contamination modeling. Plants were cultivated for 65 days in controlled chambers; particle characterization employed Py-GC/MS, μ-Raman, TEM-EDS, and confocal microscopy. Nitrogen was quantified by Kjeldahl digestion, and other minerals were quantified by ICP-OES. Statistical analysis used linear mixed-effects models with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. Nanoplastics induced greater nutrient depletion than microplastics: at 100 mg/L, nitrogen declined 50.9% (NP) vs. 37.3% (MP), iron 55.4% (NP) vs. 34.8% (MP) (P < 0.001). Oxidative stress markers (H₂O₂, MDA) increased 189% and 201% under NP vs. 156% and 168% under MP (P < 0.001). Although MP root accumulation (42.4 mg/kg) exceeded NP accumulation (14.4 mg/kg) threefold, NPs proved more phytotoxic. Subcellular imaging revealed NP penetration into chloroplasts and mitochondria; MPs remained extracellular. Fresh biomass declined 58.2% (NP) vs. 41.7% (MP) (P < 0.001). Antioxidant enzyme upregulation was stronger under NP exposure but insufficient to prevent oxidative damage. These findings demonstrate that nanoplastics pose a greater physiological threat to arugula than microplastics through organellar penetration and cellular dysfunction, despite lower tissue accumulation. Results highlight the urgent need to incorporate nano-scale particles into irrigation water quality standards and treatment technologies. Plastic pollution in irrigation water poses an emerging threat to agricultural systems. This study compared the effects of nanoplastics (NPs, 248 nm) and microplastics (MPs, 34 μm) on arugula (Eruca sativa L.) exposed to 10–100 mg/L concentrations justified by Tigris River contamination modeling. Plants were cultivated for 65 days in controlled chambers; particle characterization employed Py-GC/MS, μ-Raman, TEM-EDS, and confocal microscopy. Nitrogen was quantified by Kjeldahl digestion, and other minerals were quantified by ICP-OES. Statistical analysis used linear mixed-effects models with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. Nanoplastics induced greater nutrient depletion than microplastics: at 100 mg/L, nitrogen declined 50.9% (NP) vs. 37.3% (MP), iron 55.4% (NP) vs. 34.8% (MP) (P < 0.001). Oxidative stress markers (H₂O₂, MDA) increased 189% and 201% under NP vs. 156% and 168% under MP (P < 0.001). Although MP root accumulation (42.4 mg/kg) exceeded NP accumulation (14.4 mg/kg) threefold, NPs proved more phytotoxic. Subcellular imaging revealed NP penetration into chloroplasts and mitochondria; MPs remained extracellular. Fresh biomass declined 58.2% (NP) vs. 41.7% (MP) (P < 0.001). Antioxidant enzyme upregulation was stronger under NP exposure but insufficient to prevent oxidative damage. These findings demonstrate that nanoplastics pose a greater physiological threat to arugula than microplastics through organellar penetration and cellular dysfunction, despite lower tissue accumulation. Results highlight the urgent need to incorporate nano-scale particles into irrigation water quality standards and treatment technologies. https://fsct.modares.ac.ir/article_28958_d6a1499555c182d0fa8919c666fa4710.pdf