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The influence of microplastics on the toxic effects and biodegradation of bisphenol A in the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa
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Researchers discovered that polystyrene microplastics worsen the toxic effects of the common chemical bisphenol A (BPA) on green algae, suggesting that microplastics in aquatic environments can amplify the harm caused by other pollutants and may have cascading effects on aquatic food chains.
Bisphenol A (BPA) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics have attracted much attention because they are widely distributed in the environment, while their combined toxicity to aquatic organisms has rarely been studied. Therefore, this study explored the impact of microplastics on the toxic effects and biodegradation of BPA to the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The results indicated that during the 16 days culture, PS (5 mg/L) increased the growth inhibition of BPA (1 mg/L and 10 mg/L) on C. pyrenoidosa compared to without PS. Similarly, PS (5 mg/L and 100 mg/L) also increased the degradation efficiency of BPA (1 mg/L and 10 mg/L) by algae. However, the changes of the chlorophyll content and the Fv/Fm value were opposite due to the hermetic and shading effect. Moreover, this study also found that five intermediates were formed during BPA degradation process because of the presence of oxidoreductase and glycosyltransferase. The results of the study provided vital information on the effect of PS on the toxicity and biodegradation of BPA to microalgal.
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Physiological, morphological, and growth effects of microplastics on freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris
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Researchers showed that microplastics inhibit growth, reduce chlorophyll and photosynthetic efficiency, and trigger oxidative stress in the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting the species could serve as a bioindicator for aquatic microplastic contamination.
The Effects of Microplastics on Growth and Photosynthetic Activity of Chlorella pyrenoidosa: The Role of Types and Sizes
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Researchers exposed the freshwater alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa to polystyrene and PVC microplastics across three size ranges for 14 days, finding that smaller particles caused greater growth inhibition — up to 43% — and that algae responded by secreting extracellular polymers and forming aggregates to resist the particles.
The influence of microplastics on the toxic effects and biodegradation of bisphenol A in the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa
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Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics inhibited the biodegradation of bisphenol A (BPA) by the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, with combined exposure showing greater toxicity than either contaminant alone due to BPA adsorption onto microplastic surfaces.
Toxic effects of polylactic acid microplastics on photosynthesis and motility of Microglena sp.
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Polylactic acid microplastics — made from a supposedly biodegradable plastic — inhibited the growth, photosynthesis, and swimming ability of a marine microalgae species, with genes controlling flagella and photosynthesis both suppressed. This matters because microalgae form the base of marine food chains, and even 'eco-friendly' bioplastics can cause real ecological harm as they break down.
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