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Exploring biochemical responses and cellular adaptations of Chlorella sorokiniana to polyethylene microplastic exposure
Summary
Researchers exposed the freshwater microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and measured the effects on growth, pigments, and biochemical composition. They found that high concentrations inhibited growth by 50% and caused reductions in pigments, lipids, and carbohydrates, while protein content increased as a stress response. The study provides insights into how microplastic pollution may disrupt the base of freshwater food webs by affecting primary producers.
Microplastics (MPs) are a common long-lasting pollutant of aquatic ecosystems. Microalgae are primary producers of aquatic systems, and MP contamination could have a high impact on the aquatic food web. Therefore, the present study utilized polyethylene (PE) particles (0 to 150 mg/L) for investigating the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC) of Chlorella sorokiniana and also studied their impacts on growth rate, biomass, pigments and other biochemical components of the microalgae. After 96 h of incubation, PE of 100 mg/L resulted in the half-maximum inhibition (IC). After reaching the stationary phase (14 d), harvesting was made for MP-exposed cultures to reveal a biomass production of 0.89 g/L, while it was 0.96 g/L for the control. A slight reduction in pigment and lipid contents was also observed, while the protein and carbohydrate contents were high in MP-exposed C. sorokiniana cells. Under the MP stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phenolic levels were reduced, whereas flavonoid content increased. PE particles were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) for their size, shape, chemical composition, and interaction with C. sorokiniana, followed by micro-Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (µ-FT-IR) for the mapping of MP. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how MP contamination can disrupt aquatic food webs, guiding future ecological assessments and pollution management strategies.