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The combined toxicity effect of nanoplastics and glyphosate on Microcystis aeruginosa growth
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Researchers found that cationic nanoplastics adsorb glyphosate so strongly that co-exposure actually reduces the herbicide's toxicity to algae by sequestering it — but the nanoplastics coated in glyphosate adhere more readily to algal surfaces, potentially concentrating both pollutants further up the food chain.
Waste plastics can be degraded to nanoplastics (NPs, diameter<1 μm) by natural forces. NPs not only directly affect aquatic organisms but also adsorb other pollutants, causing combined pollution. Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides and is commonly monitored in freshwater systems. In this study, the effects of the combined toxicity of polystyrene cationic amino-modified nanoparticles (nPS-NH) and glyphosate on a blue-green alga, Microcystis aeruginosa, were investigated. Our results demonstrated that 5 mg/L glyphosate had a strong inhibitory effect on M. aeruginosa (the 96-h inhibitory rate was 27%), while 5 mg/L nPS-NH had no apparent effect on the growth of M. aeruginosa. Interestingly, nPS-NH combined with glyphosate showed antagonistic effects on the inhibition of algal growth because nPS-NH displayed a strong adsorption capacity for glyphosate, which significantly alleviated the inhibitory effect of glyphosate on M. aeruginosa growth. However, the presence of glyphosate enhanced the stability of the dispersion system, which allowed more nPS-NH to adsorb on the surface of M. aeruginosa and may result in greater enrichment of nPS-NH in the food chain to show potential repercussions to human life. Our current study provides a new theoretical basis for the combined effects of NPs and pesticide pollution.
More Papers Like This
Co-Exposure to Glyphosate and Polyethylene Microplastic Affects Their Toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris: Implications for Algal Health and Aquatic Risk
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Researchers assessed the individual and combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and glyphosate to the microalga Chlorella vulgaris in acute and chronic exposures. The combination caused greater toxicity than either contaminant alone, particularly at chronic exposure durations, indicating synergistic effects relevant to agricultural runoff contamination.
Alleviating binary toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and atrazine to Chlorella vulgaris through humic acid interaction: Long-term toxicity using environmentally relevant concentrations
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Researchers found that when nanoplastics and the herbicide atrazine were combined in water, they had a synergistic toxic effect on algae that was worse than either pollutant alone. However, adding humic acid, a natural substance found in soil and water, significantly reduced this combined toxicity by coating the nanoplastics and changing their surface properties. This suggests that natural organic matter in the environment may offer some protection against the harmful effects of nanoplastic-chemical mixtures.
Interaction of microplastics and glyphosate: Effects on the freshwater green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
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Scientists tested how tiny plastic beads and the weed-killer glyphosate affect algae — a key building block of aquatic food chains. Surprisingly, glyphosate alone harmed algae growth and health, but when microplastics were present too, they actually softened some of glyphosate's damage, showing that pollutants can interact in unexpected ways rather than simply adding up. This matters because it means predicting real-world environmental (and eventually human) health risks from pollution requires studying chemicals together, not just one at a time.
Combined toxicity of nanoplastics and microcystin-LR to sulfate-reducing bacteria and the underlying mechanisms
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Researchers exposed freshwater aquaculture microcosms to polyethylene nanoplastics and the algal toxin microcystin-LR, finding that nanoplastics strongly adsorb the toxin and that combined exposure disrupts sulfur cycling bacteria more severely than either contaminant alone, raising ecological concerns for aquaculture water quality.
Nanoplastics and their combined effects with sulphamethoxazole on the free-floating aquatic plant Lemna major
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Researchers examined the combined effects of nanoplastics and the antibiotic sulphamethoxazole on free-floating algae, assessing whether nanoplastics alter antibiotic toxicity. The co-exposure produced greater inhibitory effects on algal growth than either substance alone.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.