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Migration and transformation of nanoplastics and microcystin during Chlamydomonas reinhardtii processing: From the environment to product
Summary
When tiny plastic particles and toxic algae poisons contaminate water together, they can get into algae-based foods and supplements more easily than expected—but good news: normal food processing steps like heating and extraction can break down most of the toxins and reduce the health risk. This matters because algae is increasingly used in protein products and supplements, so understanding how pollutants move through processing helps keep these foods safer for consumers.
Microcystin (MC) and nanoplastic contamination are increasingly co-occurring in water systems, raising concerns about their combined impact on environmental safety. However, research on the migration of these pollutants to aquatic organisms remains scarce. Herein, we traced the migration and transformation of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics (nanoPET) and microcystin-LR (MC-LR) across a laboratory-simulated Chlamydomonas reinhardtii protein-processing chain, from cultivation environments to final products, using colorimetric analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography. Co-exposure to nanoPET and MC-LR increased MC-LR accumulation in microalgal biomass by ∼38%, an effect associated with nanoPET-induced changes in the surface properties of microalgal cells, including enhanced secretion of extracellular polymeric substances and increased membrane permeability. During downstream processing, alkaline cell disruption hydrolyzed 36.5% of nanoPET and transformed 52.1% of MC-LR. Solvent extraction for pigment removal decreased MC-LR concentration in the protein fraction to below the LOD (6.0 ng per gram of protein). The structures of transformation products were identified via ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The hepatotoxicity of MC-LR products was markedly reduced, as reflected by cell viability assays. These findings provide crucial insights into the possible transfer pathways and mechanisms of MC and nanoplastics from the environment into the microalgal processing chain.