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Interactive Effects of Ionophore Antibiotic Monensin and Polystyrene Microplastics on the Growth and Physiology of Microcystis aeruginosa
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Researchers examined the combined effects of the ionophore antibiotic monensin and polystyrene microplastics on the growth and stress physiology of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa under controlled laboratory conditions. The study found interactive effects between the two stressors on algal growth rates and physiological stress markers, suggesting microplastics can modify the ecotoxicological impact of co-occurring pharmaceuticals.
This study was conducted to examine the combined effects of monensin (MS) and 3 µm polystyrene microplastics (PEMPs) on the growth and stress-associated physiological responses of Microcystis aeruginosa under controlled laboratory conditions [temperature: 20 ± 1 °C, lighting: (30 ± 4) µmol m−2 s−1 (12 h:12 h light–dark photoperiod), growth medium: BG-11]. The experiments included MS concentrations of 0, 50, 250, and 500 µg/L and PEMPs concentrations of 0.25, 1.25, and 6 mg/L. Measurements included optical density (OD730), chlorophyll ‘a’, cellular protein content, oxidative stress, and the activities of catalase (CAT) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX). M. aeruginosa exhibited a significant increase in growth on day 7 at elevated MS concentrations across all PEMP levels. Similarly, MS and PEMP treatments had a significant interactive effect on cellular protein content on day 7. However, their combined effect on chlorophyll ‘a’ production was not significant. Oxidative stress measurements showed a dose-dependent decrease with increasing MS concentrations under PEMP administrations. Enzyme activity assays indicated that CAT activity increased while GPX activity decreased with higher MS concentrations. The results imply that co-contamination of PEMPs and MS has a significant impact on the growth and stress physiology of M. aeruginosa in aquatic ecosystems.
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