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A short-term preliminary experimental study on the effect of microplastics on Chlorella vulgaris and duckweeds
Summary
Researchers exposed freshwater algae and duckweed — both important food sources for fish and humans — to microplastics and found that even small amounts inhibited growth and reduced photosynthetic pigments. This suggests that microplastic contamination in water could disrupt the base of aquatic food chains that people depend on.
Surface or ground waters are heavily contaminated with numerous toxic substances. One of the emerging contaminants is the Microplastics (MP). MPs are polymers smaller than 5 mm in diameter, which are harmful. Plants are affected in terms of growth inhibition and photosynthetic pigment reduction. Chlorella and Lemna minor are freshwater algae and floating plants, respectively, which are considered a good source of protein for humans and fish due to their high protein content and environmentally friendly production properties. The study aimed to investigate the effect of the plastic microspheres on Lemna minor and Chlorella. The plastic microspheres were exposed to Chlorella and duckweed for 21 and 14 days, respectively. The effects of different doses of microspheres on the growth, photosynthetic pigments, algal cell density, root length, number, and root cell viability were assessed. The growth rate, content of photosynthetic pigments, algal cell density, root length, and root growth have been reduced with an increase in the dose of MP concentration. Evan’s blue staining provided evidence for the incorporation of MPs deep into the layers of roots. It can be concluded that the microspheres can negatively impact floating organisms of freshwater ecosystems.