We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Nanoplastic Affects Growth ofS. obliquusand Reproduction ofD. magna
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested the effects of nanoplastics on freshwater algae and tiny water fleas, two organisms at the base of aquatic food chains. They found that nano-polystyrene particles reduced algae growth through physical binding to cell surfaces and inhibited reproduction in water fleas at concentrations as low as 30 milligrams per liter. The study demonstrates that nanoplastics can harm freshwater organisms at multiple levels of the food web, even at relatively low concentrations.
The amount of nano- and microplastic in the aquatic environment rises due to the industrial production of plastic and the degradation of plastic into smaller particles. Concerns have been raised about their incorporation into food webs. Little is known about the fate and effects of nanoplastic, especially for the freshwater environment. In this study, effects of nano-polystyrene (nano-PS) on the growth and photosynthesis of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus and the growth, mortality, neonate production, and malformations of the zooplankter Daphnia magna were assessed. Nano-PS reduced population growth and reduced chlorophyll concentrations in the algae. Exposed Daphnia showed a reduced body size and severe alterations in reproduction. Numbers and body size of neonates were lower, while the number of neonate malformations among neonates rose to 68% of the individuals. These effects of nano-PS were observed between 0.22 and 103 mg nano-PS/L. Malformations occurred from 30 mg of nano-PS/L onward. Such plastic concentrations are much higher than presently reported for marine waters as well as freshwater, but may eventually occur in sediment pore waters. As far as we know, these results are the first to show that direct life history shifts in algae and Daphnia populations may occur as a result of exposure to nanoplastic.
More Papers Like This
Ecotoxic Effects of Nano Plastic on Freshwater plankton (Scenedesmus obliquus and Daphnia magna)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested whether nanoplastic polystyrene particles affect the growth of green algae and the reproduction of water fleas in the lab. They found growth inhibition in algae at high doses and reproductive effects in water fleas, with the route of exposure (dissolved in water versus eaten with food) significantly influencing the severity of effects.
Distinctive toxic repercussions of polystyrene nano plastic towards aquatic non target species Nitrobacter vulgaris, Scenedesmus sp and Daphnia magna
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers tested polystyrene nanoplastics across a wide concentration range against three aquatic species and found dose-dependent toxicity in all three — inhibiting nitrifying bacteria growth, reducing algal protein and chlorophyll, and killing water fleas — revealing broad ecological hazard across trophic levels.
Evaluating sublethal effects of long-term exposure of Daphnia magna to nanoplastics at a low concentration
AI summary Read the abstract
Lab experiments exposed Daphnia magna — a water flea that links primary producers to larger predators — to nanoplastics at low concentrations over multiple generations. The nanoplastics caused sublethal reproductive effects that became more pronounced over successive generations, suggesting that long-term, low-level nanoplastic exposure in the environment could gradually impair aquatic invertebrate population health.
Trophic transfer and individual impact of nano-sized polystyrene in a four-species freshwater food chain
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers traced nano-sized polystyrene plastics through a four-species freshwater food chain — from algae to water fleas to two fish species — finding that nanoplastics transferred at each level and caused reduced activity, liver damage in fish, and penetration into fish embryos. The results highlight the broad ecological and health risks of nanoplastics moving up through aquatic food webs.
Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics in Different Diet Combinations on Survival, Growth and Reproduction Rates of the Water Flea (Daphnia magna)
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed Daphnia magna water fleas to 6-micrometer fluorescent polystyrene microplastics across different diet combinations over 21 days, finding that animals fed only microplastics showed survival declines similar to starved controls and the least growth, while algae co-feeding partially mitigated but did not eliminate reproductive impacts.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.