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Sorption of the common freshwater cyanotoxin microcystin to microplastics
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Researchers demonstrated that microplastics from freshwater environments can adsorb the harmful algal bloom toxin microcystin onto their surfaces, potentially concentrating the toxin and altering its environmental fate. This finding suggests that microplastics in lakes with cyanobacterial blooms may act as carriers for toxins that affect fish, wildlife, and humans.
Interactions among multiple stressors in freshwater ecosystems remain poorly understood. In particular, microplastic and nutrient pollution are rarely studied in combination. However, microplastics are now commonly found in freshwater lakes with pervasive cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, a common symptom of eutrophication. Cyanobacteria can produce various toxic secondary metabolites potentially lethal to humans, domestic and wild animals, and other aquatic life. Given the tendency of microplastics to accumulate waterborne contaminants, we assessed the sorption of the common freshwater cyanotoxin microcystin to four types of highly produced polymers: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). We performed laboratory batch sorption experiments with unaged and aged microplastics and an in-situ sorption experiment in a eutrophic lake. We found that waterborne microcystins sorbed poorly to microplastics under laboratory conditions irrespective of ageing; however, microplastics accumulated microcystins under natural conditions in a eutrophic lake. Further, we found that sorption capacity of microcystins differed among polymer types (LDPE ≈ PET > PS ≈ PVC), and affinity for plastic varied among microcystin congeners (MC-RR > MC-YR > MC-LR > MC-LA). Our findings led us to conclude that microplastics can directly interact with waterborne microcystins via sorption and also to hypothesize that microplastics may indirectly interact with cell-bound microcystins via cyanobacteria colonizing the microplastic’s surface. This work highlights a previously unexplored interaction between microplastics and a contaminant class prevalent in fresh water. Further, it contributes to a better understanding of the interaction between microplastic pollution and cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, specifically the potential role of microplastics in influencing the environmental fate of toxins produced by cyanobacteria.
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Researchers studied adsorption and desorption of the cyanotoxin microcystin onto microplastics in eutrophic freshwater and found that microplastics can act as vectors carrying bound cyanotoxins to zooplankton, enhancing toxin transfer through the food web beyond what free toxin exposure alone would predict.
Adsorption of cyanotoxins on polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate: Microplastics as vector of eight microcystin analogues
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Eight microcystin analogues were tested for adsorption onto polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics, finding that these common plastics can bind cyanotoxins from freshwater environments. The study identifies microplastics as potential vectors for cyanobacterial toxins in lakes and reservoirs, with implications for drinking water safety.
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Researchers found that polyamide-6 microplastics showed exceptionally strong adsorption of the cyanotoxin microcystin-LR — with 89.5% efficiency — raising concern that microplastics can act as vectors transporting harmful cyanotoxins through freshwater environments.
Potentially Poisonous Plastic Particles: Microplastics as a Vector for Cyanobacterial Toxins Microcystin-LR and Microcystin-LF
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Researchers demonstrated for the first time that microplastics can act as vectors for cyanobacterial toxins called microcystins, concentrating the toxins up to 28 times from water onto plastic surfaces. The adsorption process depended on particle size, plastic type, pH, and the specific microcystin variant. The findings raise concerns about microplastics transporting harmful algal toxins through aquatic food webs to higher trophic levels.
Experimental Evidence from the Field that Naturally Weathered Microplastics Accumulate Cyanobacterial Toxins in Eutrophic Lakes
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Researchers conducted laboratory sorption experiments and field sampling in eutrophic lakes to test whether naturally weathered microplastics accumulate cyanobacterial toxins (microcystins). Weathered microplastics from the field had significantly higher microcystin concentrations than predicted from lab sorption experiments with pristine plastics, confirming that naturally aged plastics are more effective toxin carriers.
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