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Physiological responses of Gutweed Ulva intestinalis (Linnaeus, 1753) exposed to high-density polyethylene microplastics
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Researchers exposed the green macroalga Ulva intestinalis to high-density polyethylene microplastics and observed significant negative physiological effects after 14 days. The exposed algae showed reduced growth rates and chlorophyll content alongside elevated protein damage markers, suggesting that microplastic pollution can impair basic physiological processes in marine autotrophic organisms.
Pollution by microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments remains a global concern. Despite recent developments, there is a knowledge gap in the implications of MP pollution on autotrophic aquatic organisms such as macroalgae. The response of green macroalgae species, Ulva intestinalis to high-density polyethylene microplastics (HDPE-MPs) was investigated. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Attenuated Total Reflectance - Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy showed adherence of HDPE-MPs onto surfaces of U. intestinalis. The following parameters were assessed: growth rate, chlorophyll content, and protein carbonyl content. The 14-day exposure assay entailed one control group (0 mg/L) and the HDPE-MP treated group (100 mg/L). The treatment of HDPE-MPs in U. intestinalis has a significant effect on the aforementioned parameters (p < 0.05). The treated group showed a lower growth rate (1.24 vs. 3.15 %) and chlorophyll content (0.705 vs. 0.911 mg/g), and higher protein carbonyl content (1.654 vs. 0.571 nmol DNPH/mg protein). These findings suggest that HDPE-MP exposure can negatively affect physiological processes in U. intestinalis. Subsequently, this study features the potentially adverse effects of MPs on autotrophic aquatic organisms.
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Researchers examined the toxicological effects of low-density polyethylene microplastics on the marine microalga Chaetoceros calcitrans. They found concentration-dependent inhibition of algal growth up to 85 percent, along with reduced photosynthetic efficiency and significant oxidative stress responses. The microplastics physically adhered to algal cell walls, causing observable structural damage, suggesting that polyethylene microplastic pollution may pose serious risks to marine phytoplankton at the base of ocean food chains.
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A meta-analysis of 52 studies found that microplastics inhibit microalgal growth and photosynthesis and induce oxidative damage, though microalgae can recover over time. Cyanobacteria are more vulnerable than green algae, and the relative size of microplastics to algal cells governs the mechanism of impact, while aged versus pristine microplastics have opposite effects on extracellular polymeric substance and microcystin production.
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Researchers investigated how polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics affect the photosynthesis system of freshwater algae and found that both types reduced chlorophyll content and impaired photosynthetic efficiency. The damage was concentration-dependent and worsened over the growth period. The study highlights that microplastic pollution in freshwater can harm algae, which form the base of aquatic food chains.
Microplastic toxicity in marine microalgae: an ecotoxicological synthesis of experimental biological responses
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This review summarizes 43 experimental studies on how microplastics affect marine microalgae, tiny ocean organisms that form the base of marine food webs. Researchers found most studies focused on polystyrene and polyethylene particles, measuring effects on growth, cell stress, and photosynthesis. Gaps remain in studying DNA damage, particle clumping, and long-term, realistic exposure conditions.
Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Photosynthetic Impairment in Navicula sp. at Physiological and Transcriptomic Levels
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Researchers exposed freshwater diatom algae to polystyrene microplastics and found significant damage to their photosynthetic capacity within 24 to 48 hours. The microplastics reduced chlorophyll content, damaged cell membranes, and triggered oxidative stress responses, with gene analysis revealing disruption of key pathways related to photosynthesis and carbon fixation. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in freshwater environments could impair the ability of algae to produce oxygen and support aquatic food webs.
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