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Pengaruh Konsentrasi Mikroplastik terhadap Aktivitas Enzim Antioksidan dan Pertumbuhan Chlorella vulgaris dalam Sistem Kultur Terkontrol
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New research found that microplastics stress out tiny algae called Chlorella vulgaris, cutting their growth by over a third and forcing them to pump out extra antioxidant enzymes just to survive cell damage. This matters because these microscopic algae are the foundation of aquatic food webs—if microplastic pollution weakens them, it could ripple upward through fish and other seafood, potentially affecting the food supply many people rely on.
The increasing accumulation of microplastics in aquatic environments poses a significant threat to photosynthetic organisms, including the microalga Chlorella vulgaris. This study aims to analyze the effects of varying microplastic concentrations on antioxidant enzyme activity and growth of C. vulgaris under controlled culture conditions. The experiment applied environmentally relevant and sub-lethal concentrations of microplastics. Observed parameters included growth rate, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The results show that increasing microplastic concentrations reduced growth rate by more than 35% at higher exposure levels and significantly elevated antioxidant enzyme activity as a response to oxidative stress. SOD and CAT activities increased by approximately 1.8–2.3 times compared to the control, indicating the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. In addition, microplastics disrupted photosynthetic processes and cellular energy metabolism. These findings demonstrate that microplastics act as environmental stressors that trigger physiological and biochemical responses in C. vulgaris. This study highlights the importance of assessing microplastic risks to primary producers in aquatic ecosystems and their implications for food web stability.
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This review summarizes research on how microplastics affect Chlorella, a type of green algae that forms the base of aquatic food chains. Microplastics can slow algae growth, cause oxidative stress, and disrupt photosynthesis, which matters for human health because damage to these foundational organisms can ripple up through the food web and affect the quality of water and seafood.
Effects of microplastics on the growth, photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient composition in freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris Beij
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Researchers tested how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect the freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris and found that smaller particles and higher concentrations caused more harm. The microplastics reduced algal growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and disrupted nutrient composition over the 11-day experiment. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, this damage could ripple upward through ecosystems that ultimately connect to human food sources.
The Effect of Polyethylene Microplastics on Growth and Antioxydant Response of Oscillatoria Princeps and Chlorella Pyrenoidosa
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Researchers exposed two freshwater algae species to polyethylene microplastics of different sizes and found that the particles disrupted photosynthesis and altered antioxidant enzyme activity. Smaller microplastics generally caused more pronounced effects, and the two species responded differently to the stress. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution in freshwater environments could impair the growth of organisms at the base of aquatic food webs.
Effects of different concentrations and particle sizes of microplastics on the full life history of freshwater Chlorella
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different concentrations and particle sizes affect the complete life cycle of freshwater Chlorella algae. The study found that microplastics can inhibit algal growth by up to 68%, while also altering chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity, indicating that microplastic pollution may pose significant risks to the base of aquatic food webs.
Impact of Nano-Polystyrene on Growth Rate and Physiological Metabolism of Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (nano-plastics), the kind that come from breaking-down plastic waste, can harm microalgae — tiny organisms that form the base of the ocean's food chain and help produce oxygen. Depending on the amount of plastic and type of light exposure, these particles either stressed out the algae's growth or disrupted their internal defense systems, showing that plastic pollution can ripple through the food web that humans ultimately depend on for seafood and healthy oceans.
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