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Dynamic Uptake and Elimination of Microplastics by Tetrahymena thermophila
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Scientists tracked how a single-celled freshwater organism absorbs and gets rid of microplastics, finding that cells take in plastic particles quickly within the first hour, but levels drop afterward, mostly because the cells divide and "dilute" the plastic between daughter cells rather than actually eliminating it. This matters because these tiny organisms sit at the bottom of the food chain, meaning the microplastics they build up could pass up the chain to fish and eventually to the food we eat, making this research a key step toward understanding how plastic pollution moves through ecosystems and potentially into our diets.
Understanding the fate and impacts of microplastics (MPs) on foundational organisms within food webs is essential for accurately assessing their toxicity and environmental risks. While the accumulation and toxicity of MPs in organisms at low trophic levels have been documented, the analysis of the absolute cellular uptake of MPs at a single-cell level with high-throughput methods remains a challenge. In this study, we developed a flow cytometry-based approach integrating a particle balance method and biokinetic modeling to quantitatively assess the uptake and elimination dynamics of fluorescently labeled MPs in the freshwater ciliate . The intracellular accumulation of MPs was calculated by subtracting the extracellular MPs from the total exposure amount, ensuring that the measurement was free from interference caused by fluorescence quenching or cellular background noise. Our results revealed that intracellular MPs continuously increased during the first hour, followed by a marked decline within 24 h. By applying a biokinetic model, we demonstrated that the effect of cell division on reducing MP burden is 3.6 to 5.8 times greater than that of elimination, depending on the exposure concentration. The calculated bioconcentration factors (BCFs) exceed 4800, indicating a significant potential for bioaccumulation of MPs in . These results enhance our understanding of the initial processes through which MPs enter the food chain and provide essential technical support for further research on the quantitative toxicity assessment of MP pollution.
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Microplastics Abundance in Aquatic Environment and its Impact on Macrobenthos
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Researchers reviewed how microplastic pollution affects macrobenthic communities across marine and freshwater ecosystems, documenting impaired feeding, oxidative damage, and developmental defects in organisms ranging from sponges and corals to mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms.
Impact of Microplastics on the Physiology of Benthos
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Researchers reviewed how microplastic pollution harms bottom-dwelling aquatic organisms, summarizing evidence that benthic species face widespread physiological disruption from microplastic ingestion and accumulation, with broader implications for aquatic biodiversity.
Microplastics and freshwater microalgae: what do we know so far?
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A review of 20 studies found that microplastics inhibit freshwater microalgae growth, reduce photosynthetic activity, alter pigment profiles, and induce oxidative stress, with effects varying by plastic shape, size, concentration, and exposure duration. Because microalgae form the base of aquatic food webs, microplastic-driven disruption of algal communities could have cascading effects on freshwater ecosystem health.
Ecotoxicological Consequences of Microplastics in Aquatic Life
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics — tiny plastic particles under 5mm — harm aquatic ecosystems, documenting that fish, invertebrates, and other marine life can ingest them, leading to physical damage, toxic chemical exposure, and disruptions to feeding and reproduction.
Chronic and Acute Water-Soluble Microplastics Uptake and Effects on Growth and Reproduction of Daphnia magna
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Researchers found that two water-soluble microplastics — polyvinyl alcohol and polymethacrylic acid — harm the water flea Daphnia magna, reducing lifespan, reproduction, and causing physical deformities, raising concerns about these less-studied plastic types that dissolve in water rather than forming visible particles.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.