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Induced aging, structural change, and adsorption behavior modifications of microplastics by microalgae
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Researchers found that microalgal biofouling caused more significant aging and surface degradation of microplastics compared to river microbial biofouling over a 30-day period. The study suggests that algae-induced aging substantially enhances the ability of polyethylene and PVC microplastics to adsorb organic pollutants like bisphenol analogues, increasing their potential to transport contaminants in the environment.
The effects of microalgal biofouling on microplastic (MP) may differ from bacterial biofouling. In this study, the influence of microalgae on MP surface alteration, structural change, and adsorption of organic micropollutants was evaluated. Virgin polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyamide (PA) were each immersed in algal photobioreactor and river freshwater for 30 days to simulate algal and river microbe biofouling respectively. Consequently, their physicochemical changes and adsorption potential of a mixture of six bisphenol analogues (BPA, BPS, BPE, BPB, BPF, BPAF) and two parabens (propyl-paraben, benzyl-paraben) were investigated. Owing to the algal bioactive compounds, major microalgae-induced biofouling and more MP aging than the river microbe aging were observed through fractures, pits, cracks, and algal attachments. Intrusion of algal organic matter and scission of polymeric functional groups were revealed during microalgal immersion and the potential MP aging pathways were proposed. Algal biofouling considerably altered the intrinsic properties of the MPs, consequently the adsorption capacity of PE and PVC was enhanced by 3.04-6.72 and 2.14-8.72 times, respectively. Adsorption process onto algal-aged MPs was pH-dependent, endothermic, non-spontaneous, and favored by hydrogen bonds. Meanwhile, the amide group in PA structure was conducive to organic micropollutant adsorption, which was likely reduced by algal aging and the erosion of the N-H stretching. Moreover, higher adsorption capacities of organic micropollutants were shown by the algal-biofilm PE and PVC than virgin and river microbial biofilm MPs. This study discloses that, biofouling and aging of MPs by microalgae through their bioactive components would engender more incidences on MP properties, organic micropollutants adsorption with associated environmental and health hazards.
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When tiny algae grow a slimy coating (biofilm) on microplastic particles in water, it changes the plastic's surface and makes it much better at soaking up pollutants—in this study, a toxic dye absorbed nearly 10 times more onto "aged" plastic than fresh plastic. This matters because microplastics floating in rivers, lakes, and oceans aren't just plastic—over time, natural biological processes can turn them into more effective carriers of harmful chemicals, potentially increasing the toxic baggage they bring with them if ingested by wildlife or humans.
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Researchers investigated how UV light, potassium permanganate, and sodium hydroxide aging treatments affect lead (Pb(II)) adsorption by PET microplastics, and examined the additional influence of the microalga Microcystis aeruginosa. Aging increased adsorption capacity through greater surface functional groups and porosity, while microalgae further enhanced Pb(II) uptake via extracellular polymeric substances, suggesting that algal presence amplifies microplastics as heavy metal carriers in aquatic environments.
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