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Response of two cyanobacterial strains to non-biodegradable glitter particles
Summary
Laboratory experiments showed that glitter — decorative microplastic particles widely used in arts and cosmetics — can inhibit the growth of bloom-forming cyanobacteria at high concentrations, while also altering cell size and structure. The findings add glitter to the list of overlooked microplastic types that can disrupt aquatic photosynthesis and primary production. Because cyanobacteria are foundational to aquatic food webs, even modest disruption from microplastic glitter particles could have cascading effects on freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Microplastic pollution is a growing concern mainly in aquatic environments due to its deleterious effects. Some types of microplastics, such as glitter, remain overlooked. Glitter particles are artificial reflective microplastics used by different consumers within arts and handcraft products. In nature, glitter can physically affect phytoplankton by causing shade or acting as a sunlight-reflective surface, influencing primary production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of five concentrations of non-biodegradable glitter particles in two bloom-forming cyanobacterial strains, Microcystis aeruginosa CENA508 (unicellular) and Nodularia spumigena CENA596 (filamentous). Cellular growth rate, estimated by optical density (OD), demonstrated that the applied highest glitter dosage decreases cyanobacterial growth rate with a more evident effect on M. aeruginosa CENA508. The cellular biovolume of N. spumigena CENA596 increased following the application of high concentrations of glitter. Still, no significant difference was detected in chlorophyll-a and carotenoids' contents for both strains. These results suggest that environmental concentrations of glitter, similar to the highest dosage tested (>200 mg L), may negatively influence susceptible organisms of the aquatic ecosystems, as observed with M. aeruginosa CENA508 and N. spumigena CENA596.