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Microalgae sticks to microplastics and transports them to the seabed. "Science for Environment Policy"
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Researchers found that microalgae can adhere to microplastic surfaces and cause them to sink, acting as a biological mechanism that transfers floating microplastics from the ocean surface to the seafloor — helping explain the "missing plastic" paradox of lower-than-expected surface concentrations.
International audience
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Biofouling impacts on polyethylene density and sinking in coastal waters: A macro/micro tipping point?
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Researchers measured biofouling-induced density changes in polyethylene microplastic particles deployed in coastal waters and found that biofouling caused buoyant particles to sink on timescales of days to weeks, challenging assumptions about surface plastic persistence and potentially explaining the missing plastic paradox.
Effects of biofouling on the sinking behavior of microplastics
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Researchers studied how biofouling — the accumulation of microorganisms and organic matter on particle surfaces — alters the sinking behavior of microplastics, finding that biofouled particles sink faster and are more likely to reach seafloor sediments.
Rapid aggregation of biofilm-covered microplastics with marine biogenic particles
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Researchers demonstrated that biofilm-covered microplastics rapidly aggregate with marine biogenic particles such as algal cells and fecal pellets, which accelerates their sinking from surface waters. The study helps explain why microplastic concentrations at the ocean surface are lower than expected — biofouling causes the particles to be transported to deeper waters and sediments faster than previously assumed.
Microalgae-mediated aggregation facilitates the vertical transport of microplastics: the role of Cylindrotheca closterium under simulated conditions
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In lab experiments, a type of algae called Cylindrotheca closterium clumped together with tiny polyethylene plastic particles of two sizes, forming aggregates that sank in water. Small plastic pieces got embedded inside the clumps, while larger pieces became coated with algae cells, showing that this algae can help carry microplastics downward in water.
Phytoplankton community-driven regulation of microplastic sinking via marine gel formation and aggregation: mesocosm study under nutrient-enriched conditions
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Scientists found that tiny algae in ocean water can trap microplastics in sticky, gel-like clumps and drag them down to the seafloor, but how much this happens depends on which type of algae is blooming, not just how much algae is present. This matters because it means nutrient pollution (like fertilizer runoff) could actually influence where microplastics end up, potentially pulling them out of surface waters where fish and humans might be more likely to encounter them, or instead keeping them floating longer depending on the conditions.
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