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Beyond growth: comparative impact of plastics and natural particles on EPS dynamics and aggregation in Rhodomonas Salina
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Researchers studied how microplastics (virgin and weathered PET plastic) and a natural mineral particle (kaolin) affect a microalgae-bacteria community, finding all particles inhibited algae growth by over 50% and triggered increased production of protective extracellular substances. Notably, weathered plastic and natural mineral particles caused similarly harmful responses, suggesting it is the physical properties of particles — not just their plastic chemistry — that drive ecological stress.
Understanding the ecological impact of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) requires going beyond traditional growth inhibition endpoints. The authors have investigated the comparative effects of plastics, namely virgin polyethylene terephthalate (vPET), weathered PET (wPET), and the natural particle kaolin on the algae-bacteria consortium of the microalga Rhodomonas salina, with analysis of growth dynamics, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, and aggregation behaviour in terms of number, size and composition. Maximum growth inhibition values between 53.32% and 67.05% were observed. Both wPET and kaolin caused stronger and earlier growth inhibition than vPET, and their effects were significantly correlated with increased EPS production indicating a coordinated stress response. The protein fraction of the bound EPS was affected the most, with observed increases between 165.6% and 422.2%. Furthermore, particle exposure increased the number, size and composition of aggregates formed, while highlighting the role of bacteria in microbial aggregation processes. The similar biological responses induce by wPET and kaolin suggest that particle properties, rather than material identity, predominantly drive algal stress and aggregation patterns. The observed responses reflect not merely individual algal stress, but highlight the emergent properties of the microbial consortium, with EPS acting as a central mediator with ecosystem-scale implications. This study takes a first step in exploring the impact of ecologically relevant MNPs on an algae-bacteria consortium, addressing a well-recognized gap in the existing literature.
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Impact of weathered and virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) micro- and nanoplastics on growth dynamics and the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of microalgae
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Researchers compared how fresh and sun-weathered PET micro and nanoplastics affect microalgae growth and the sticky substances (EPS) algae produce in response to stress. Weathered plastics triggered more EPS production and had greater effects on algae than fresh plastics did. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains and most ocean microplastics have been weathered by sunlight, these findings suggest real-world impacts on marine ecosystems may be worse than laboratory studies with fresh plastics indicate.
Spatial heterogeneity of EPS-mediated microplastic aggregation in phycosphere shapes polymer-specific Trojan horse effects
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Researchers investigated how algal communities in water aggregate different types of microplastics through sticky extracellular substances they produce. They found that the binding behavior varied significantly by plastic type and by the layer of the algal colony, with some plastics being captured more effectively than others. The study reveals that these natural aggregation processes can concentrate pollutants on microplastic surfaces, creating a "Trojan horse" effect that increases risks to organisms that consume the clumps.
Interplay between extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from a marine diatom and model nanoplastic through eco-corona formation
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Researchers incubated polystyrene nanoplastics with extracellular polymeric substances secreted by a marine diatom and found that these biological molecules rapidly formed an "eco-corona" coating on the nanoparticles, significantly slowing their aggregation and reducing oxidative stress in algae — suggesting that natural organic matter in seawater substantially alters nanoplastic behavior and toxicity.
Nano- and microplastics trigger secretion of protein-rich extracellular polymeric substances from phytoplankton
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Researchers exposed four marine phytoplankton species to polystyrene nano- and microplastics and found that the smallest particles (55 nm nanoplastics) caused the most stress, reducing cell survival and altering the composition of secreted extracellular substances. The stressed phytoplankton produced protein-rich exopolymeric substances that facilitated the formation of aggregates around the plastic particles. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution can change how marine microorganisms interact with their environment, affecting both plastic fate and microbial ecology.
Microplastic interactions with freshwater microalgae: Hetero-aggregation and changes in plastic density appear strongly dependent on polymer type
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Researchers studied interactions between microplastics and freshwater microalgae, finding that microplastics can physically attach to algal cells to form hetero-aggregates, altering both particle behavior and algal physiology.
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