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Article ? 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. Human Health Effects Remediation Sign in to save

Aged microplastics decrease the bioavailability of coexisting heavy metals to microalga Chlorella vulgaris

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2021 106 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Liu Gao, Huaiyuan Qi, Liu Gao, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Zezheng Wang, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Dongdong Fu, Dongdong Fu, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Huaiyuan Qi, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Liu Gao, Dongdong Fu, Dongdong Fu, Dongdong Fu, Dongdong Fu, Dongdong Fu, Dongdong Fu, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Dongdong Fu, Zezheng Wang, Licheng Peng Zezheng Wang, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Zezheng Wang, Huaiyuan Qi, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Licheng Peng Huaiyuan Qi, Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Huaiyuan Qi, Licheng Peng Huaiyuan Qi, Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Zezheng Wang, Zezheng Wang, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Huaiyuan Qi, Huaiyuan Qi, Zezheng Wang, Zezheng Wang, Huaiyuan Qi, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Zezheng Wang, Liu Gao, Zezheng Wang, Liu Gao, Zezheng Wang, Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Zezheng Wang, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Zezheng Wang, Licheng Peng Dongdong Fu, Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Liu Gao, Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Liu Gao, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Licheng Peng Yuanyuan Su, Yuanyuan Su, Dongdong Fu, Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Licheng Peng Zezheng Wang, Licheng Peng

Summary

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.

Polymers
PS PVC

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% (I<sub>aged mPS</sub>) followed by aged mPVC (I<sub>aged mPVC</sub> = 30.03%), virgin mPS (I<sub>virgin mPS</sub> = 29.10%) and virgin mPVC (I<sub>virgin mPVC</sub> = 16.72%). Addition of the heavy metals Cu<sup>2+</sup> and Cd<sup>2+</sup> 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% (I<sub>Cu</sub>) and 85.14% (I<sub>Cd</sub>), 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 I<sub>Cd</sub> of 85.14% achieved by single Cd<sup>2+</sup>, the toxicity of Cd<sup>2+</sup> was greatly reduced when combined with aged mPS and mPVC, with the I value decreased to 27.55% (I<sub>aged mPS</sub>) and 32.51% (I<sub>aged mPVC</sub>), respectively. Both single and combined treatments caused cell damage to the microalga, accompanied by increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and intracellular malonaldehyde (MDA) content.

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