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Interactive adverse effects of low-density polyethylene microplastics on marine microalga Chaetoceros calcitrans

Chemosphere 2022 58 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Hoda H. Senousy, Hanan M. Khairy, Mostafa E. Elshobary, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Hanan M. Khairy, Heba S. El‐Sayed, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Eman R. Sallam, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mostafa E. Elshobary, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mostafa E. Elshobary, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mostafa E. Elshobary, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Hanan M. Khairy, Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh Mohamed A. El‐Sheikh

Summary

Researchers examined the toxicological effects of low-density polyethylene microplastics on the marine microalga Chaetoceros calcitrans. They found concentration-dependent inhibition of algal growth up to 85 percent, along with reduced photosynthetic efficiency and significant oxidative stress responses. The microplastics physically adhered to algal cell walls, causing observable structural damage, suggesting that polyethylene microplastic pollution may pose serious risks to marine phytoplankton at the base of ocean food chains.

Polymers

LDPE PE

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is broadly utilized worldwide, increasing more dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the majority ends up in the aquatic environment as microplastics. The influence of polyethylene microplastics (LDPE-MPs) on aquatic ecosystems still needs further investigation, especially on microalgae as typical organisms represented in all aquatic systems and at the base of the trophic chain. Thereby, the biological and toxicity impacts of LDPE-MPs on Chaetoceros calcitrans were examined in this work. The results revealed that LDPE-MPs had a concentration-dependent adverse effect on the growth and performance of C. calcitrans. LDPE-MPs contributed the maximum inhibition rates of 85%, 51.3%, 21.49% and 16.13% on algal growth chlorophyll content, φPSII and F/F, respectively. The total protein content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly increased at 25 mg L LDPE-MPs by 1.37, 3.52, 2.75 and 1.84 folds higher than those of the controls to sustain the adverse effects of LDPE-MPs. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and monosaccharides contents of C. calcitrans were improved under low concentration of LDPE-MPs, which could facilitate the adsorption of MPs particles on the microalgae cell wall. This adsorption caused significant physical damage to the algal cell structure, as observed by SEM. These results suggest that the ecological footprint of MPs may require more attention, particularly due to the continuing breakdown of plastics in the ecosystem.

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