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Polystyrene microplastics enhanced the effect of PFOA on Chlorella sorokiniana: Perspective from the cellular and molecular levels
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This study found that polystyrene microplastics made the toxic effects of PFOA (a "forever chemical") worse on algae by increasing cell membrane permeability, allowing more PFOA to enter the cells. The findings matter because microplastics and PFOA often exist together in the environment, and their combined effect can be more harmful than either pollutant alone.
Microplastics (MPs) commonly coexist with other contaminants and alter their toxicity. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an emerging pollutant, may interact with MPs but remain largely unknown about the joint toxicity of PFOA and MPs. Hence, this research explored the single and joint effects of PFOA and polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on microalgae (Chlorella sorokiniana) at the cellular and molecular levels. Results demonstrated that PS-MPs increased PFOA bioavailability by altering cell membrane permeability, thus aggravating biotoxicity (synergistic effect). Meanwhile, the defense mechanisms (antioxidant system modulation and extracellular polymeric substances secretion) of Chlorella sorokiniana were activated to alleviate toxicity. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis illustrated that co-exposure had more differential expression genes (DEGs; 4379 DEGs) than single-exposure (PFOA: 2533 DEGs; PS-MPs: 492 DEGs), which were mainly distributed in the GO terms associated with the membrane composition and antioxidant system. The molecular regulatory network further revealed that PS-MPs and PFOA primarily regulated the response mechanisms of Chlorella sorokiniana by altering the ribosome biogenesis, photosynthesis, citrate cycle, oxidative stress, and antioxidant system (antioxidant enzyme, glutathione-ascorbate cycle). These findings elucidated that PS-MPs enhanced the effect of PFOA, providing new insights into the influences of MPs and PFOA on algae and the risk assessment of multiple contaminants. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: MPs and PFAS, emerging contaminants, are difficult to degrade and pose a non-negligible threat to organisms. Co-pollution of MPs and PFAS is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, while risks of co-existence to organisms remain unknown. The present study revealed the toxicity and defense mechanisms of microalgae exposure to PS-MPs and PFOA from cellular and molecular levels. According to biochemical and transcriptomic analyses, PS-MPs increased PFOA bioavailability and enhanced the effect of PFOA on Chlorella sorokiniana, showing a synergistic effect. This research provides a basis for assessing the eco-environmental risks of MPs and PFAS.
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Response mechanisms of Chlorella sorokiniana to microplastics and PFOA stress: Photosynthesis, oxidative stress, extracellular polymeric substances and antioxidant system
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Researchers exposed green algae to polystyrene microplastics and PFOA (a forever chemical) both separately and together, finding that the combination was more toxic than either pollutant alone. Microplastics mainly harmed the algae by blocking light for photosynthesis, while PFOA caused oxidative damage inside cells. Since microplastics and PFAS often co-exist in polluted water, their combined effects on aquatic food chains could be greater than studies of individual pollutants suggest.
Polystyrene microplastics attenuated the impact of perfluorobutanoic acid on Chlorella sorokiniana: Hetero-aggregation, bioavailability, physiology, and transcriptomics
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Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with PFBA (a type of forever chemical) when both are present around green algae. Surprisingly, the microplastics actually reduced the toxic effects of PFBA on the algae by binding to the chemical and making it less available, showing that pollutant interactions in the environment can be more complex than expected.
Microplastics magnify inhibitive effects of perfluorooctanoic acid on the marine microbial loop
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Researchers studied how microplastics interact with a common industrial chemical called PFOA in ocean ecosystems. They found that polystyrene microplastics significantly amplified the harmful effects of PFOA on tiny marine organisms essential to carbon cycling, including bacteria and plankton. The study suggests that when these two pollutants co-exist in seawater, the ecological risks are considerably worse than from either pollutant alone.
Polystyrene NPs reshape PFOA-driven mitochondrial redox balance, pentose phosphate-nucleotide metabolism, and membrane lipid remodeling in Cipangopaludina cathayensis
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Scientists studying freshwater snails found that a "forever chemical" called PFOA (used in nonstick coatings and waterproofing) damages cells' energy-producing mitochondria, causing oxidative stress and cell death. Surprisingly, adding nanoplastics to the mix didn't make the damage worse—instead, it changed *how* the cells responded, shifting the chemical processes and cell membrane changes involved. This matters because PFOA and nanoplastics are both common pollutants in water and food supplies, and understanding how they interact helps researchers better predict real-world health risks rather than assuming pollutants sim
Enhanced uptake of perfluorooctanoic acid by polystyrene nanoparticles in Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas)
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Researchers found that polystyrene nanoparticles significantly enhanced the uptake of the toxic chemical PFOA in Pacific oysters. The presence of 20 nm nanoparticles increased PFOA absorption by up to 3.2-fold and amplified PFOA-induced oxidative stress by 3-fold, suggesting that nanoplastics can act as carriers that worsen the effects of other environmental contaminants in marine organisms.
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