We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The role of algae in regulating the fate of microplastics: A review for processes, mechanisms, and influencing factors
Summary
This review examines how algae influence the fate of microplastics in aquatic environments through processes including retention, flocculation, deposition, and biodegradation. Researchers found that algae can trap microplastics via adhesion and produce extracellular substances and enzymes that contribute to aggregate formation and partial breakdown of plastic particles, though these interactions are influenced by algal species, microplastic characteristics, and environmental conditions.
As an important emerging pollutant, the fate of microplastics (MPs) in ecosystems is of growing global concern. In addition to hydrodynamics and animals, algae can also affect the transport of MPs in aquatic environments, which could potentially remove MPs from the water column. Although researchers have conducted many studies on the sink of MPs regulated by algae in both marine and freshwater environments, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding coupled with the increasingly scattered study contents and findings. This review aims to provide a systematic discussion of the processes, mechanisms, and influencing factors, which are coupled with the sink of MPs changes by algae. The main processes identified include retention, flocculation, deposition, and degradation. The retention of MPs is achieved by adhesion of MPs to algae or embedment/encrustation of MPs within the epibiont matrix of algae, thereby preventing MPs from migrating with water currents. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and enzymes produced by algal metabolic activities can lead not only to the formation of aggregates containing MPs but also to the biodegradation of MPs. The processes that algae alter the fate of MPs in aquatic environments are very complex and can be influenced by various factors such as algal attributes, microplastic characteristics and environmental conditions. This review provides insights into recent advances in the fate of aquatic MPs and highlights the need for further research on MPs-algae interactions, potentially shortening the knowledge gap in the sink of MPs in aquatic ecosystems.