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Acute effects of three surface-modified nanoplastics against Microcystis aeruginosa: Growth, microcystin production, and mechanisms
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Researchers found that surface-modified nanoplastics significantly inhibited growth of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa while increasing microcystin production by up to 175%, with positively charged particles causing the strongest effects.
As plastic pollution continues to increase and plastic waste is shredded to form smaller plastic particles, there is growing concern about the potential impact of nanoplastics (NPs) on freshwater ecosystems. In this work, the effects of three surface-modified NPs, including polystyrene (PS), PS-NH, and PS-COOH, on the growth, photosynthetic activity, oxidative damage, and microcystins (MCs) production/release of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) were investigated. Results indicated that all three NPs significantly inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa after a 96 h exposure, and the growth inhibition followed the order of PS-NH > PS > PS-COOH (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, all three NPs at the concentration of 100 mg/L significantly increased the content of intra-MCs (115 %, 147 %, and 121 % higher than the control, respectively) and extra-MCs (142 %, 175 %, and 151 % higher than the control, respectively) after a 96 h exposure (p < 0.05). Moreover, our findings also suggested that the potential mechanisms of surface-modified PS NPs on M. aeruginosa growth and MCs production/release were associated with physical constraints, photosynthetic activity obstruct, and oxidative damage. Our findings provided direct evidence for different kinds of surface modifications of PS NPs on freshwater algae and improve the understanding of the potential risk of NPs in aquatic ecosystems.
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Nanoplastics Promote Microcystin Synthesis and Release from Cyanobacterial Microcystis aeruginosa
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Researchers discovered that amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics promote both the production and release of microcystin, a harmful toxin, from the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. The nanoplastics inhibited photosynthesis, induced oxidative stress, and damaged cell membranes, which enhanced toxin synthesis and extracellular release. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems could worsen the threat of harmful algal blooms to aquatic ecology and human health.
Polystyrene nanoplastics affect growth and microcystin production of Microcystis aeruginosa
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Researchers exposed Microcystis aeruginosa to polystyrene nanoplastics across a range of concentrations and tracked effects on growth, cell aggregation, and microcystin production and release throughout the full growth cycle. They found a dose-dependent growth inhibition and increased aggregation at high concentrations, but nanoplastics at 50 mg/L paradoxically stimulated a period of rapid growth, with complex effects on intracellular and extracellular microcystin levels.
Nanoplastics promote microcystin synthesis and release from cyanobacterial Microcystis aeruginosa.
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Researchers showed that amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NH2) stimulate microcystin synthesis and release in the bloom-forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa by inhibiting photosystem II and increasing membrane permeability. This is the first direct evidence linking nanoplastics to enhanced cyanotoxin production in freshwater blooms.
Micro- and nanoplastic stress intensifies Microcystis aeruginosa physiology and toxin risks under environmentally relevant water chemistry conditions
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Researchers exposed the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to environmentally relevant concentrations of micro- and nanoplastics, finding both significantly enhanced algal biomass and microcystin toxin production, with nanoplastics additionally promoting extracellular toxin release.
Mechanistic study on the increase of Microcystin-LR synthesis and release in Microcystis aeruginosa by amino-modified nano-plastics.
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This study examined how amino-modified nanoplastics increase production and release of the toxin Microcystin-LR in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa, revealing the cellular and gene-expression mechanisms behind this enhancement. The findings highlight how nanoplastic pollution can amplify harmful algal bloom toxicity.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.