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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 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.
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.
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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 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.
Microfouling communities from pelagic and benthic marine plastic debris sampled across Mediterranean coastal waters
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Scanning electron microscopy revealed that diatoms are the most abundant organisms colonizing plastic debris in both surface waters and on the seafloor across Mediterranean coastal waters. The distinct microbial communities found on plastics — the 'plastisphere' — may facilitate the spread of non-native species to new environments when plastic rafts travel long distances.
Impact of polystyrene nanoparticles on marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi chain assemblages and consequences on their ecological role in marine ecosystems
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Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi to polystyrene nanoparticles and observed increased oxidative stress, reduced chain length, and nanoplastic aggregation at the diatom's silica pores, raising concern that nanoplastic interference with diatom chain formation could impair the biological carbon pump that sequesters atmospheric CO2 in deep ocean sediments.
Investigating the Molecular Response of Skeletonema marinoi to Polyethylene Nano/Microplastics: Insights into Stress Genes, Inflammation, and Extracellular Polymeric Substance Production
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Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi to polyethylene nano- and microplastics and found that, despite no significant effect on growth, the particles triggered oxidative stress responses, inflammatory-like gene expression, and activation of programmed cell death pathways. The study suggests that even when diatoms appear resilient on the surface, microplastics may cause subtle molecular disruptions that could affect bloom dynamics and carbon cycling in the ocean.
The Impact of Microplastics on the Growth of Skeletonema Costatum
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Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum to polystyrene microplastics at 0.1 and 10 mg/L, finding that both concentrations initially stimulated cell growth and chlorophyll content but also elevated antioxidant enzyme activity, indicating a stress response even when growth appeared enhanced.
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