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Size-dependent effect of microplastics on toxicity and fate of diclofenac in two algae
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This study investigated how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics affect two species of algae and interact with the common pharmaceutical pollutant diclofenac. Researchers found that the smallest microplastics caused the most significant growth inhibition in algae, and the combined presence of microplastics and diclofenac could alter how each pollutant behaves. The findings underscore how microplastics can change the toxicity and environmental fate of other water contaminants.
Microplastics (MPs) are frequently detected in natural waters and usually acted as vectors for other pollutants, leading to possible threats to aquatic organisms. This study investigated the impact of polystyrene MPs (PS MPs) with different diameters on two algae Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Euglena sp., and the combined toxicity of PS MPs and diclofenac (DCF) in two algae was also studied. Significant inhibition of P. tricornutum was observed after 1 d exposure of 0.03 µm MPs at 1 mg L, whereas the decreased growth rate of Euglena sp. was recovered after 2 d exposure. However, their toxicity decreased in the presence of MPs with larger diameters. The oxidative stress contributed a major for the size-dependent toxicity of PS MPs in P. tricornutum, while in Euglena sp. the toxicity was mainly caused by a combination of oxidative damage and hetero-aggregation. Also, PS MPs alleviated the toxicity of DCF in P. tricornutum and the DCF toxicity continually decreased as their diameter increased, whereas the DCF at environmentally concentration could weaken the toxicity of MPs in Euglena sp. Moreover, the Euglena sp. revealed a higher removal for DCF, especially in the presence of MPs, but the higher accumulation and bioaccumulation factors (BCFs) indicated a possible ecological risk in natural waters. The present study explored discrepancy on the size-dependent toxicity and removal of MPs associated with DCF in two algae, providing valuable data for risk assessment and pollution control of MPs associated with DCF.
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Size-specific mediation of the physiological responses and degradation ability of microalgae to sulfamerazine by microplastics
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Researchers examined how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes affect the ability of marine microalgae to tolerate and break down the antibiotic sulfamerazine. They found that nano-sized plastics were more harmful than larger particles, reducing algal growth and impairing the organisms' ability to degrade the antibiotic. The study reveals that microplastic pollution could interfere with the natural biological breakdown of pharmaceutical contaminants in waterways.
Polystyrene nanoplastics alter the ecotoxicological effects of diclofenac on freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus
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Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to modify the ecotoxicological effects of the pharmaceutical diclofenac on freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, with the combined exposure producing effects different from either pollutant alone.
Microplastics Alter the Distribution and Toxic Potential of Typical Pharmaceuticals in Aqueous Solutions: Mechanisms and Theory Calculations
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Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with common pharmaceutical drugs in water and found that the plastics can absorb these medications, altering their distribution and potentially increasing environmental toxicity. The strength of absorption varied depending on the chemical properties of each drug, with some binding much more readily to microplastics than others. The findings highlight that microplastics may act as carriers for pharmaceutical pollutants, complicating efforts to assess water contamination risks.
Submicron-size-dependent toxicity of microplastic–antibiotic mixtures in Chlorella pyrenoidosa
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (smaller than a speck of dust) can team up with antibiotics in water to harm algae, the tiny organisms at the base of the food chain, and that the plastic's exact size and surface coating change how toxic the mixture becomes. Interestingly, when plastics and antibiotics mixed together, the combo was often less harmful than antibiotics alone, because the plastic particles soaked up some of the antibiotic. This matters because it shows that studying pollutants one at a time doesn't capture the full picture, real-world mixtures of microplastics and drugs in our water systems behave differently
Interactive toxicity effects of metronidazole, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and differently functionalized nanoplastics on marine algae Chlorella sp.
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Researchers examined the combined toxicity of common pharmaceutical drugs and nanoplastics with different surface coatings on marine algae. They found that the interaction between drugs and nanoplastics produced effects ranging from additive to synergistic, depending on the specific combination, with amine-coated nanoplastics generally causing more harm. The study highlights that real-world mixtures of pharmaceutical and plastic pollutants in oceans may pose greater risks to marine life than either contaminant alone.
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