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Ecotoxicological impact of virgin and environmental microplastics leachate on Chlorella vulgaris: Synergistic microbial-pollutant drivers cripple photosynthesis
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Researchers compared the toxic effects of leachate from new versus environmentally weathered microplastics on a common green algae species. They found that weathered microplastics were up to 3.4 times more toxic, severely disrupting photosynthesis and introducing hundreds of bacterial species and pollutants that compounded the damage. The findings highlight that microplastics become significantly more dangerous as they age in the environment.
Microplastics (MPs, < 5 mm) leachate poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems; however, their toxicity across different sources remains poorly understood. This study examined the toxicological effects of leachates derived from virgin MPs (VMPs) and environmentally weathered MPs (EMPs) on Chlorella vulgaris in seawater. EMPs leachate exhibited 2.5-3.4 times higher toxicity than VMPs leachate, with growth inhibition rates reaching 77.66 ± 10.25 % and 32.64 ± 6.99 %, respectively. EMPs leachate exposure induced more pronounced disruptions to algal photosynthesis than VMPs leachate, including a 35.3 % reduction in chlorophyll a content and significant downregulation of photosynthesis-related genes (e.g., PsbS, PsbY). EMPs leachate also altered carbon metabolism (59 differentially expressed genes (DEGs)) and elevated oxidative stress markers, evidenced by a 22.2 % increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) compared to VMPs leachate. In contrast, VMPs leachate primarily affected amino acid biosynthesis (44 DEGs). Crucially, EMPs leachate introduced 580 unique bacterial taxa and anthropogenic pollutants (e.g., ciprofloxacin), which synergistically exacerbated algal toxicity through nutrient competition and oxidative damage. These findings highlight the heightened ecological risks posed by EMPs due to synergistic interactions among pollutants and microorganisms, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted regulatory strategies to mitigate MPs pollution.
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The aging of microplastics exacerbates the damage to photosynthetic performance and bioenergy production in microalgae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa)
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Researchers found that aged microplastics are significantly more toxic to freshwater algae than new microplastics, inhibiting growth by up to 45% and causing greater damage to photosynthesis and energy production. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, this heightened toxicity from weathered microplastics could cascade through ecosystems and ultimately affect the safety of freshwater resources that humans depend on.
Microplastics leachate may play a more important role than microplastics in inhibiting microalga Chlorella vulgaris growth at cellular and molecular levels
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Researchers found that chemical compounds leaching from aged microplastics may be more harmful to algae than the microplastic particles themselves. UV-weathered polyethylene and PVC released substances that inhibited algae growth, caused oxidative stress, and altered gene expression more severely than direct particle exposure. The study suggests that the chemicals released by degrading microplastics deserve more attention as a source of aquatic toxicity.
Oxidative stress and energy metabolic response of Isochrysis galbana induced by different types of pristine and aging microplastics and their leachates
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Researchers compared how different types of pristine and aged microplastics affect a marine microalga used in aquaculture. Aged microplastics were more toxic than fresh ones, and the chemical compounds they released into the water caused greater oxidative stress and energy disruption in algal cells. The study suggests that as microplastics weather in the environment, they may become more harmful to the base of the marine food chain.
Effects of the Exposure of Aged Micro-Polyethylene Terephthalate on the Growth Status and Photosynthesis of Chlorella sp. UTEX1602
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This study found that microplastics aged through UV exposure, strong acids, or strong alkalis were significantly more toxic to the freshwater microalga Chlorella than unaged microplastics, inhibiting growth and disrupting photosynthetic pigments. The results highlight that weathered microplastics in the environment — rather than pristine particles — pose the greater ecological risk to aquatic primary producers.
Single and combined toxicity assessment of primary or UV-aged microplastics and adsorbed organic pollutants on microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa
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Researchers investigated the single and combined toxicity of polyamide microplastics with the pollutants sulfamethoxazole and dicamba on the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. They found that UV-aged microplastics caused different toxic effects than pristine ones, and that microplastics altered the bioavailability and toxicity of the co-occurring pollutants. The study suggests that environmental aging of microplastics changes their interactions with other contaminants, potentially affecting aquatic organisms in complex ways.
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