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Interaction of microplastics and glyphosate: Effects on the freshwater green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
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Scientists tested how tiny plastic beads and the weed-killer glyphosate affect algae — a key building block of aquatic food chains. Surprisingly, glyphosate alone harmed algae growth and health, but when microplastics were present too, they actually softened some of glyphosate's damage, showing that pollutants can interact in unexpected ways rather than simply adding up. This matters because it means predicting real-world environmental (and eventually human) health risks from pollution requires studying chemicals together, not just one at a time.
Microplastics (particles 0.1 μm-5 mm) are an increasing ecological problem in aquatic environments. Effects of microplastics on microalgae and interactions with co-occurring contaminants, such as the herbicide glyphosate, are poorly understood. We examined direct effects of microplastics and interactions with glyphosate using the chlorophyte Chlamydomonas reinhardtii grown in saturating irradiance under nutrient-replete conditions. Cells were exposed to polyethylene beads (45-53 µm diameter) at low (0.1 g L-1) or high (1 g L-1) concentrations, in combination with low (44 µM or equivalent bound to beads) or high (220 µM or equivalent bound to beads) glyphosate for 14 days. We measured growth (chl a fluorescence and cells), photosynthetic quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and cell mortality (SYTOX-Green staining). Glyphosate significantly reduced fluorescence-based growth rates and Fv/Fm and increased cell mortality compared to controls, but growth rates of culture exposed to beads alone were higher than controls, despite having lower Fv/Fm. Complex antagonistic interactions between glyphosate and microplastic treatments were observed; microplastics ameliorated effects of glyphosate on growth rates and cell mortality. Comparisons with previous studies emphasize the importance of plastic polymer, microplastic concentration and experimental preparation. Future work should focus on clear experimental protocols, mixed algal species, and use of aged plastics.
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Researchers assessed the individual and combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and glyphosate to the microalga Chlorella vulgaris in acute and chronic exposures. The combination caused greater toxicity than either contaminant alone, particularly at chronic exposure durations, indicating synergistic effects relevant to agricultural runoff contamination.
Combinatory effects of microplastics and emerging contaminants on alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
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Researchers exposed the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to two types of microplastics found in face washes — PVC and an acrylate copolymer — along with the preservative 2-phenoxyethanol, finding that combined exposure had distinct effects on algal growth compared to individual pollutants. This is relevant because microplastics rarely occur alone in the environment, and their interactions with other chemicals can either amplify or dampen ecological harm.
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) harm algae differently depending on whether the algae are growing alone or alongside other algae species — one type got more damaged specifically when living with a competing species. This matters because algae form the base of aquatic food webs, so plastic pollution's real-world impact on ecosystems (and the food supply that eventually reaches us) may be underestimated by lab studies that only test one species at a time.
The combined toxicity effect of nanoplastics and glyphosate on Microcystis aeruginosa growth
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Researchers found that cationic nanoplastics adsorb glyphosate so strongly that co-exposure actually reduces the herbicide's toxicity to algae by sequestering it — but the nanoplastics coated in glyphosate adhere more readily to algal surfaces, potentially concentrating both pollutants further up the food chain.
Higher toxicity induced by co-exposure of polystyrene microplastics and chloramphenicol to Microcystis aeruginosa: Experimental study and molecular dynamics simulation
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Researchers studied what happens when the antibiotic chloramphenicol and polystyrene microplastics are present together in water containing blue-green algae. The study found that the combined exposure was more toxic to the algae than either pollutant alone, disrupting photosynthesis and gene expression. The findings suggest that microplastics and antibiotics may interact in ways that amplify their harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems.
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