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Combined toxic effects of polypropylene and perfluorooctanoic acid on duckweed and periphytic microorganisms
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Duckweed was exposed to polypropylene microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) individually and in combination for 14 days, finding that combined treatment increased oxidative stress markers and altered periphytic microbial communities even when plant growth was unaffected. The results reveal interactive toxicity between co-occurring plastic particles and PFAS pollutants.
Microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid coexist in the aquatic environment. Duckweed was exposed to a range of concentrations (0.1-1000 μg L) of solutions containing polypropylene (PP) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) for 14 days to measure their toxicity. The result showed the single and combined PP and PFOA treatments did not significantly influence the growth of duckweed. The greatest PP and PFOA concentrations of combined pollution affect plant chlorophyll. Moreover, the combined treatment of duckweed consistently resulted in increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating oxidative damage. As an antioxidant stress response, the combination-treated plants were encouraged to produce superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). Meanwhile, 3519 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified in the duckweed rhizosphere. Proteobacteria was the most predominant microbial community. Shannon, Simpson, and Chao1 discovered that microbial communities changed in response to single and combination PP and PFOA treatments, with decreased diversity and increased abundance. In addition, SEM analysis also revealed that the combined treatment significantly phyllosphere microorganisms. The findings of this investigation add to our knowledge of how PP and PFOA affect duckweed and the rhizospheric microorganisms, expanding the theoretical basis for employing duckweed in complex contamination.
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Single and combined toxicity effects of microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid on submerged macrophytes and biofilms
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Researchers tested the combined effects of four common microplastic types and PFOA (a forever chemical) on aquatic plants and their associated biofilms. The pollutants together caused more damage to plant growth, photosynthesis, and microbial communities than either pollutant alone. Since microplastics and PFOA frequently co-occur in the environment, their combined toxic effects on aquatic ecosystems could have downstream consequences for water quality and human exposure.
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.
The masking phenomenon of Per-/Polyfluoroalkyl substances on oxidative stress damage in Hydrilla verticillata under microplastic stress
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Researchers studied how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and polystyrene microplastics interact to cause oxidative stress damage in the aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata. They found that microplastics masked over 70% of the oxidative stress effects caused by the fluorinated chemicals, showing a significant antagonistic interaction. The study identified specific PFAS compounds with the highest masking risk, providing new insights for regulating combined pollutant risks to aquatic ecosystems.
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.
The emerging threat of hybrid microplastics: Impacts on per(poly)fluoroalkyl substance bioaccumulation and phytotoxicity in floating macrophytes
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This study examined how mixtures of different microplastic types interact with PFAS (forever chemicals) and found that more diverse microplastic mixtures increased the absorption and toxicity of PFAS in aquatic plants. The complexity of real-world microplastic pollution, where multiple plastic types coexist, appears to make forever chemical contamination worse. This finding is important because most lab studies test single plastic types, potentially underestimating the actual environmental risk.
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