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Plastic-associated harmful phytoplankton assemblages in coastal and off-shore habitats of the Mediterranean Sea
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Researchers used qPCR to detect harmful algal bloom species and measure biotoxin concentrations on micro and macroplastic samples collected from coastal and offshore Mediterranean habitats, finding that all plastic samples harbored dinoflagellate and diatom communities including toxin-producing Alexandrium and Pseudo-nitzschia species, with paralytic shellfish toxin levels of 10 to 100 nanograms per square centimeter on plastic surfaces.
Plastics (macro, micro and nanoplastics) are durable and persistent pollutants that may alter pelagic and coastal ecosystem functions. Plastics provide a durable substrate that can be colonized by micro and macro-organisms. They support the growth of potential pathogens and HAB species. Further, plastic debris has been considered to play a key role in the dispersal also of biotoxins. The present study aimed to investigate harmful phytoplankton assemblages that colonized numerous samples of micro and macro-plastics collected in the Mediterranean Sea by qPCR assays, and to forecast toxin dispersal by quantifying toxin content onto plastic debris. Further, the impact of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) to the HA diatom Skeletonema marinoi was analyzed. All plastic samples were positive for the presence of Dinophyceae and Bacillariophyceae communities and some plastic samples were colonized by toxic species of dinoflagellate Alexandrium pacificum, Alexandrium minutum, Ostreopsis cf. ovata and diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp. Strains of A. pacificum isolated from plastic debris and analyzed by LCHRMS produced PST (paralytic shellfish toxins). The levels of potential toxins on plastic samples ranged from 101 to 102 ng cm-2. The interactions between HA diatom and plastic nanoparticles demonstrated an increase of both extracellular and intracellular reactive oxygen species, and significantly reduced colonies length using TEM and SEM techniques. Then, plastics can negatively impact the ecological functioning of oceans. The potential risk of harmful microalgae dispersal associated with plastic pollution was illustrated as well as for chemical compounds to transfer through the trophic chain with implications for human health and marine ecosystem.
More Papers Like This
Plastic-associated harmful phytoplankton assemblages in coastal and off-shore habitats of the Mediterranean Sea
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used qPCR to detect harmful phytoplankton assemblages on Mediterranean micro and macroplastics and evaluated the impact of polystyrene nanoparticles on the harmful diatom Skeletonema marinoi, finding that all plastic samples harbored toxic dinoflagellate and diatom species including Alexandrium pacificum and Pseudo-nitzschia spp., with nanoparticle exposure increasing reactive oxygen species production in the diatom.
Uncovering the potential effect of microplastics on Alexandrium pacificum: From the perspective of cyst formation and toxin production
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Microplastics were found to influence the growth and toxin production of Alexandrium (a harmful algal bloom species), with effects depending on plastic type and concentration. This raises concerns that microplastic pollution could alter the frequency or severity of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters.
Harmful algae and pathogens on plastics in three mediterranean coastal lagoons
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Researchers studied microplastics and macroplastic debris in three French Mediterranean coastal lagoons and found high-diversity biofilm communities including harmful algae and bacterial pathogens colonizing plastic surfaces, demonstrating that plastics can act as vectors for harmful microorganisms in sensitive coastal ecosystems.
Plankton assemblages from microplastics of tropical coastal environments reveal high diversity and evidence of toxic species
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Microplastic particles collected from beach sediments in the Johor and Singapore Straits harbored highly diverse plankton communities — including several documented harmful algal bloom species — detectable only through DNA sequencing rather than microscopy alone. This demonstrates that microplastics serve as rafts transporting potentially toxic microorganisms across coastal ecosystems, adding a biological dimension to the pollution risk they pose.
Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on Growth and Toxin Production of Alexandrium pacificum
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Researchers exposed the paralytic shellfish toxin-producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium pacificum to polystyrene microplastics and found that MP presence stimulated growth and increased toxin production per cell at certain concentrations, raising concerns about microplastics amplifying harmful algal bloom toxicity.
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