We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Hormesis-like growth and photosynthetic physiology of marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin exposed to polystyrene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics can either harm or inadvertently benefit marine algae growth depending on how crowded the algae population is, suggesting that microplastic toxicity in ocean ecosystems is more context-dependent and complex than previously assumed.
The effects of pristine polystyrene microplastics (pMPs) without any pretreatment at different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mg/L) on Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin at two initial algae densities (105 and 106 cells mL) were assessed in this study. Hormesis-like effects were found when microalgae grew with pMPs. The results showed that pMPs inhibited microalgae growth under a high concentration of microplastics tolerated by individual algal cell (low initial algae density) (up to −80.18±9.71%) but promoted growth when the situation was opposite (up to 15.27±3.66%). The contents of photosynthetic pigments including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c and carotenoids showed resistance to pMPs stress under a low initial algae density and increased with time, but the opposite was true under a high initial algae density. Compared with the low initial algae density group, Qp received less inhibition, and NPQ (heat dissipation) also decreased under the high initial algae density. Under the low initial algae density, OJIP parameters such as Sm, N, Area, Pi Abs, Ψo, φEo, TRo/RC and ETo/RC were more perturbed initially and returned to the levels of the control group (without pMPs) over time, but they remained stable throughout the experiment at high initial algae density. These results show that microplastics in the marine environment may have different toxic effects on P. tricornutum at different growth stages, which is of great significance for understanding the impact of microplastics on marine microalgae and aquatic ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Physiological responses and altered halocarbon production in Phaeodactylum tricornutum after exposure to polystyrene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Exposure to microplastics altered physiological responses and halocarbon production in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, with implications for oceanic emissions of ozone-depleting brominated substances.
Impact of polystyrene microbeads on the biomass, biochemical constituents, and pigment levels of marine diatoms
AI summary Read the abstract
Exposure to polystyrene microbeads caused significant declines in biomass, pigments, protein, and carbohydrates in two marine diatom species over 30 days, while also triggering surface changes in the plastic suggesting early-stage biodegradation by the diatoms. Because diatoms form the base of marine food webs and drive ocean carbon fixation, microplastic-induced suppression of their growth has cascading implications for ocean ecosystem productivity.
The Impact of Microplastics on the Growth of Skeletonema Costatum
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Environmentally relevant concentrations and sizes of microplastic do not impede marine diatom growth
AI summary Read the abstract
The marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum showed no growth inhibition when exposed to virgin polyethylene microplastics across a realistic size frequency distribution and up to 499 mg/L concentration, suggesting that environmentally relevant MP concentrations do not directly impede marine phytoplankton growth.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.