A study on the physiological responses and molecular mechanisms of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to nanoplastics

A study on the physiological responses to nanoplastics and molecular mechanisms in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Mechanism of palmelloid formation induced by polystyrene nanoplastics in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: a multi-omics analysis

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Researchers found that nanoplastics trigger freshwater algae to clump into multicellular colonies by disrupting cell membranes and triggering oxidative stress, altering the base of aquatic food webs in ways that could cascade through ecosystems that humans depend on for food and clean water.

The Effects of Microplastics on Growth and Photosynthetic Activity of Chlorella pyrenoidosa: The Role of Types and Sizes

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Researchers exposed the freshwater alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa to polystyrene and PVC microplastics across three size ranges for 14 days, finding that smaller particles caused greater growth inhibition — up to 43% — and that algae responded by secreting extracellular polymers and forming aggregates to resist the particles.

Physiological, morphological, and growth effects of microplastics on freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris

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Researchers showed that microplastics inhibit growth, reduce chlorophyll and photosynthetic efficiency, and trigger oxidative stress in the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting the species could serve as a bioindicator for aquatic microplastic contamination.

Nanoscale Insights into the Impacts of Microplastics on Marine Phytoplankton

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Researchers used atomic force microscopy, physiological measurements, and chemical analysis to reveal how microplastics damage marine phytoplankton at the nanoscale — denting smooth-walled algae, trapping within diatom frustules, and reducing mechanical strength — with silicon limitation amplifying vulnerability by producing weaker, more adhesive cell walls that adsorb more particles.