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Differential physiological response of marine and freshwater microalgae to polystyrene microplastics
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Researchers compared how polystyrene microplastics affect marine versus freshwater algae species and found that freshwater algae were more severely harmed. While both types showed reduced photosynthesis and increased stress responses, marine algae recovered better over time, possibly due to differences in their cell membranes and ability to handle oxidative damage. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, greater damage to freshwater species could have cascading effects on the ecosystems that supply human drinking water and freshwater fish.
Effects of microplastics on microalgae have not been compared from different habitat. To answer this question, three marine microalgae species (Chlorella marined, Nannochloropsis oculate, and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) and two freshwater species (Chlorella vulgaris and Tetradesmus obliquus) were selected and exposed to the environment relevant concentrations of polystyrene microplastics. The results indicated that microplastics have a significant concentration effect on the growth of microalgae. The attachment of microalgae to microplastics surface and the aggregation of microalgae with each other were observed. Under exposure of microplastics, the photosynthesis of microalgae was inhibited while the antioxidant system was activated, indicating that microplastics had a negative impact on microalgae. At the end of exposure, the oxidative stress status caused by microplastics in marine microalgae were alleviated, but the antioxidant system of freshwater microalgae was still at high levels, indicating a stress response. In addition, integrated biomarker response (IBR) indicated that the effects of microplastics on freshwater microalgae were severer than marine microalgae, which might relate to their differences in removing reactive oxygen species (ROS) effectively and membrane structure. Our study provides a reliable data for understanding the complex effects of microplastics on microalgae, and especially for comparing the differential effects of microplastics among different microalgae.
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