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Preferential adsorption of medium molecular weight proteins in extracellular polymeric substance alleviates toxicity of small-sized microplastics to Skeletonema costatum
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Scientists discovered that natural substances secreted by marine algae form a coating on microplastic surfaces that actually reduces the toxicity of the smallest particles. This coating, made of proteins and sugars, changed the surface properties of the microplastics and helped the algae grow better despite the pollution. The finding suggests that natural biological processes in the ocean may partially buffer the harmful effects of microplastics, though this protection may vary with particle size.
Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by organisms tend to encapsulate microplastics (MPs), forming an EPS-corona that affects the fate of MPs in marine ecosystems. However, the impact of the EPS-corona on the biotoxicity of MPs to marine organisms remains poorly understood. Herein, the effect of the EPS-corona on the toxicity of polystyrene (PS) MPs of different sizes (0.1 and 1 µm) to Skeletonema costatum (S. costatum) was investigated. The preferential adsorption of medium molecule weight (∼55 kDa) proteins onto PS MPs mainly contributed to the EPS-corona formation, decreasing the surface charge negativity of small-sized PS MPs (0.1 µm) by 72.4 %. Nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) moieties in polysaccharides and proteins were identified as the preferential adsorption sites in the EPS-PS MPs interaction. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) results, revealing that the binding mode between EPS and PS MPs was mainly hydrogen bonding. In addition, EPS-corona increased the cell density of S. costatum by 35.5-36.0 % when exposed to small-sized PS MPs (0.1 µm, 25-50 mg/L). These findings provide new insights into how EPS-corona affects the environmental fate and ecological risks associated with micro- and nano-sized plastics in marine ecosystems.
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Unraveling the toxicity mechanisms of nanoplastics with various surface modifications on Skeletonema costatum: Cellular and molecular perspectives
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Researchers examined how nanoplastics with different surface coatings affect a common marine microalga at both the cellular and molecular level. They found that surface modifications significantly influenced the toxicity of the particles, with some coatings causing greater damage to cell membranes and photosynthesis. The study highlights that the chemical surface properties of nanoplastics, not just their size, play a key role in determining their environmental impact.
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (like those from broken-down plastic waste) can stress and damage algae, key organisms at the bottom of the food chain, even without killing them outright, and the type of surface coating on the plastic changes how much damage occurs. This matters because algae like these support aquatic ecosystems and food webs, so understanding how different forms of nanoplastics affect them helps scientists predict broader environmental and, potentially, human health impacts as these particles move through water systems and into the food we eat.
Interplay of plastic pollution with algae and plants: hidden danger or a blessing?
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Researchers tested the ability of three microalgae species to remove microplastics from water through bioadhesion, finding that all three species could adsorb particles onto their surfaces. Removal efficiency depended on particle size, surface charge, and algae cell morphology.
Microplastics decrease the toxicity of sulfamethoxazole to marine algae (Skeletonema costatum) at the cellular and molecular levels
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Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole and five types of microplastics on the marine alga Skeletonema costatum. They found that certain microplastics actually decreased the toxicity of the antibiotic by adsorbing it, creating a protective "shelter" effect, though polystyrene combined with the antibiotic caused higher oxidative stress. The study suggests that microplastics can alter the bioavailability and toxicity of co-occurring pollutants in marine environments through adsorption interactions.
Eco-corona formation lessens the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics towards marine microalgae Chlorella sp.
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Researchers studied how eco-corona formation, the adsorption of algal exudates onto nanoplastic surfaces, affects the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the marine microalga Chlorella sp. The study found that eco-corona formation reduced the toxic effects of nanoplastics, suggesting that natural organic matter in marine environments may partially mitigate nanoplastic toxicity to algae.
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