Macroalgal Morphology Mediates Microplastic Accumulation on Thallus and in Sediments

Species-specific deformation of microalgae in the presence of microplastics

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Atomic force microscopy revealed that environmentally aged microplastics cause species-specific physical deformations in four microalgal species, including cell wall denting, embedding, penetration, and a novel bowl-shaped depression pattern correlated with particle geometry. Physical disruption of microalgae by microplastics threatens foundational marine productivity, since phytoplankton form the base of ocean food webs and produce roughly half of Earth's oxygen.

Macroalgal morphology mediates microplastic accumulation on thallus and in sediments

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Researchers found that filamentous macroalgae retained 2.35 times more microplastics per unit than non-filamentous species in Hong Kong coastal waters during the dry season, demonstrating that macroalgal morphology significantly mediates microplastic accumulation in coastal environments.

Effects of Microplastic on the Growth and Nutrient Absorption of Microalgae

Persistent Microplastics in Ecosystem: The Role of Microalgae-Microplastic Interactions

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This review examines interactions between microalgae and microplastics in aquatic environments, focusing on how algae can adsorb, ingest, and respond to plastic particles, and how these interactions affect microplastic persistence and transport. Microalgae form the base of aquatic food webs, so their uptake of microplastics initiates the trophic transfer chain that ultimately delivers plastic particles and associated chemical contaminants to human consumers through seafood.

Evidence that microplastics at environmentally relevant concentration and size interfere with energy metabolism of microalgal community