We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Aged microplastics decrease the bioavailability of coexisting heavy metals to microalga Chlorella vulgaris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how aged (environmentally weathered) microplastics interact with heavy metals copper and cadmium in their effects on green algae. They found that while both microplastics and heavy metals individually inhibited algal growth, combining aged microplastics with heavy metals actually reduced the toxicity of the metals. The study suggests that aged microplastics can adsorb heavy metals from water, decreasing their availability to organisms, though the microplastics themselves still pose a separate toxic threat.
Environmental aging of ubiquitous microplastics (MP) occurs through the action of biotic and abiotic factors, and aged MP exhibit different physicochemical properties and environmental behavior from virgin MP. This study aimed to investigate the aged micro-sized polystyrene (mPS) and polyvinyl chloride (mPVC), and the heavy metals copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd), and examine the effects of their combined toxicities on microalga Chlorella vulgaris. Results showed that the presence of MP inhibited cell growth as compared with the control, the inhibition rate (I) decreased as concentrations of MP rose and aged MP exhibited stronger inhibition of cells than did virgin MP. The largest I was achieved in each culture with the MP concentration of 0.01 g/L, in which aged mPS with the maximal of 36.84% (Iaged mPS) followed by aged mPVC (Iaged mPVC = 30.03%), virgin mPS (Ivirgin mPS = 29.10%) and virgin mPVC (Ivirgin mPVC = 16.72%). Addition of the heavy metals Cu2+ and Cd2+ significantly inhibited cell growth, and toxicity increased with concentrations in a range of 0.5-2.0 mg/L; the maximum I values were 19.50% (ICu) and 85.14% (ICd), respectively. The combined toxicity of aged MP + Cu or aged MP + Cd was less than that of individual heavy metals. In particular, as compared with the maximal ICd of 85.14% achieved by single Cd2+, the toxicity of Cd2+ was greatly reduced when combined with aged mPS and mPVC, with the I value decreased to 27.55% (Iaged mPS) and 32.51% (Iaged mPVC), respectively. Both single and combined treatments caused cell damage to the microalga, accompanied by increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and intracellular malonaldehyde (MDA) content.
More Papers Like This
Aged microplastics polyvinyl chloride interact with copper and cause oxidative stress towards microalgae Chlorella vulgaris
AI summary Read the abstract
Aged polyvinyl chloride microplastics were shown to interact with copper in water and together cause greater oxidative stress in the green microalga Chlorella vulgaris than either stressor alone. The combined toxicity of weathered plastics and heavy metals is relevant because both co-exist in many polluted aquatic environments.
Effect of microplastics and microplastic-metal combinations on growth and chlorophyll a concentration of Chlorella vulgaris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics alone and in combination with metals (copper, zinc, manganese) on the freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris. The study found that low microplastic concentrations had no significant impact, but higher concentrations reduced algal growth and chlorophyll content, with metal-microplastic combinations producing more pronounced effects.
Single and combined toxicity assessment of primary or UV-aged microplastics and adsorbed organic pollutants on microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the single and combined toxicity of polyamide microplastics with the pollutants sulfamethoxazole and dicamba on the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. They found that UV-aged microplastics caused different toxic effects than pristine ones, and that microplastics altered the bioavailability and toxicity of the co-occurring pollutants. The study suggests that environmental aging of microplastics changes their interactions with other contaminants, potentially affecting aquatic organisms in complex ways.
Ecotoxicological impact of virgin and environmental microplastics leachate on Chlorella vulgaris: Synergistic microbial-pollutant drivers cripple photosynthesis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared the toxic effects of leachate from new versus environmentally weathered microplastics on a common green algae species. They found that weathered microplastics were up to 3.4 times more toxic, severely disrupting photosynthesis and introducing hundreds of bacterial species and pollutants that compounded the damage. The findings highlight that microplastics become significantly more dangerous as they age in the environment.
The interfacial interaction between typical microplastics and Pb2+ and their combined toxicity to Chlorella pyrenoidosa
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that microplastics in freshwater can absorb lead (a toxic heavy metal) onto their surfaces, especially after being weathered by UV light. When combined, the microplastics and lead were more toxic to freshwater algae than either pollutant alone, with PET plastic showing the highest capacity to bind lead. This means microplastics in rivers and lakes may concentrate heavy metals and deliver higher doses of toxins to aquatic life and potentially to people through the water supply.
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.