0
Review ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Marine & Wildlife Remediation Sign in to save

Microplastic stress induce bioresource production and response in microalgae: a concise review

Environmental Pollutants and Bioavailability 2022 19 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 35 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Adamu Yunusa Ugya, Kamel Meguellati, Abdulkadir Dauda Aliyu, Abidina Abba, Makiyyu Abdullahi Musa

Summary

This review examines how microplastic stress influences bioresource production in microalgae, covering the pathways by which exposure to microplastics induces oxidative stress responses including lipid accumulation and antioxidant enzyme production. Researchers found that microplastic-induced stress can paradoxically enhance production of industrially and pharmaceutically valuable compounds while also stimulating microplastic removal capacity in aquatic ecosystems.

There are many literatures on the importance of bioresources from microalgae, but this review shows how microalgae are able to respond to the stress induced by microplastics (MP) and how the process leads to the production of bioresources. The study of these bioresources is significant because they are harnessed by man as energy and pharmaceutical tools. The extent of MP in the aquatic environment, microalgae stress induced by MP, the response of microalgae to stress induced by MP and bioresource production in microalgae due to stress induced by MP are described. The study shows that the presence of MP in the environment can induce nutrients and environmental stress, which enhances lipid accumulation and the production of other useful biotechnology resources. The study also shows that microalgae tend to produce resources that can respond to the stress induced by MP, which leads to a high removal efficiency of MP in aquatic ecosystems. The study also shows that the production of bioresources in the form of antioxidants, which are either enzymatic or non-enzymatic antioxidants, is the basic reason why microalgae are able to remove MP. A number of studies have shown the effect of MP on microalgae, while others have shown the efficiency of microalgae in the removal of MP from aquatic systems. But scanty literature exists showing how MP induces stress on microalgae. More studies are needed to show the mechanism and the concentration of bioresources produced by microalgae under the stress of MP.

Sign in to start a discussion.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Microalgae for Plastic Biodegradation and Bioplastics Production

This review examines how microalgae biodegrade plastics through enzyme and toxin production while also serving as feedstocks for bioplastic manufacture, exploring both the mechanisms of algal stress from microplastic exposure and the potential of algae-derived biodegradable polymers.

Article Tier 2

Micro/nano-plastics and microalgae in aquatic environment: Influence factor, interaction, and molecular mechanisms.

This review examined the interactions between micro/nanoplastics and microalgae in aquatic environments, summarizing how plastic particle size, surface chemistry, and co-pollutants influence algal toxicity through oxidative stress, photosynthesis inhibition, and gene expression changes.

Meta Analysis Tier 1

Evaluating physiological responses of microalgae towards environmentally coexisting microplastics: A meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of 52 studies found that microplastics inhibit microalgal growth and photosynthesis and induce oxidative damage, though microalgae can recover over time. Cyanobacteria are more vulnerable than green algae, and the relative size of microplastics to algal cells governs the mechanism of impact, while aged versus pristine microplastics have opposite effects on extracellular polymeric substance and microcystin production.

Article Tier 2

Micro/nanoplastic-induced stress in microalgae: Latest laboratory evidence and knowledge gaps

This review compiled laboratory evidence on how micro- and nanoplastics stress microalgae — the base of aquatic food webs — covering effects on photosynthesis, growth, oxidative stress, and toxin production. The authors identify key knowledge gaps including environmentally realistic concentrations and combined contaminant effects.

Article Tier 2

Impact of Microplastics on Growth and Lipid Accumulation in Scenedesmus quadricauda

Researchers exposed the microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda to polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics at 250 mg/L in four size fractions (50–500 µm) and found all MPs suppressed algal growth while increasing lipid accumulation. Polypropylene caused the strongest inhibitory effects and the highest lipid yield—especially at the smallest 50 µm size—suggesting MPs stress-drive lipid overproduction in microalgae.

Share this paper