Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

The toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on freshwater algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa depends on the different size of polystyrene microplastics

Researchers tested how two sizes of polystyrene microplastics affect the freshwater alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa, an important organism at the base of aquatic food webs. They found that smaller microplastics caused more severe damage to algal growth, photosynthesis, and cellular health than larger ones, with effects worsening over time and at higher concentrations. The study demonstrates that microplastic size is a critical factor determining toxicity to aquatic phytoplankton.

2022 Chemosphere 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics with Different Sizes on Freshwater Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris

Researchers tested how two sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics (50 nm and 70 nm) affected the common freshwater microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Both sizes reduced algae growth, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic activity in a dose-dependent manner, with the smaller particles causing more damage. Since microalgae form the base of aquatic food chains, their sensitivity to nanoplastics could have cascading effects on entire freshwater ecosystems.

2023 Molecules 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological responses of the microalga Isochrysis galbana exposed to polystyrene microplastics with different particle sizes

Researchers exposed the marine microalga Isochrysis galbana to polystyrene microplastics of three different sizes and found that smaller particles caused more severe damage. The smallest microplastics inhibited growth, reduced photosynthetic efficiency, and increased oxidative stress more than larger particles. The study highlights that particle size is a critical factor in determining how harmful microplastics are to the base of the marine food chain.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on microalgae Chlorella vulgaris: Changes in biomass, photosynthetic pigments and morphology

This study tested how polystyrene nanoplastics of three different sizes affect green algae and found a clear pattern: smaller particles were more toxic than larger ones. The smallest nanoplastics (90 nm) caused the greatest reductions in algal growth and photosynthetic pigments, along with visible changes in cell shape and increased clumping. The findings suggest that as plastics break down into ever-smaller particles in the environment, their potential for biological harm may increase.

2021 Chemosphere 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Microcystis aeruginosa copes with toxic effects of micro/nano-plastics with varying particle sizes through different self-regulatory mechanisms

Researchers exposed the freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to polystyrene particles of three different sizes ranging from nanoscale to microscale. All particle sizes harmed the algae, but they triggered different cellular defense mechanisms depending on their size, with nanoparticles causing the most severe damage. The findings reveal that particle size is a key factor in determining how microplastics affect aquatic microorganisms.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics to Tetrahymena thermophila: A Toxicokinetic–Toxicodynamic Assessment

Researchers tested three sizes of polystyrene nanoplastics on single-celled organisms and found that smaller particles were significantly more toxic, with the smallest (30 nm) causing genetic damage at concentrations already found in some waterways. This size-dependent toxicity pattern is concerning because as plastics break down in the environment, they produce ever-smaller particles that may be increasingly harmful to living organisms.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Are the primary characteristics of polystyrene nanoplastics responsible for toxicity and ad/absorption in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum?

Researchers exposed the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to 50 nm and 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics and found that smaller particles triggered faster oxidative stress and photosynthetic damage while larger ones were more stable and caused greater growth inhibition over 72 hours, illustrating how particle size shapes toxicity dynamics in marine algae.

2019 Environmental Pollution 180 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic size-dependent biochemical and molecular effects in alga Heterosigma akashiwo

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the harmful algal species Heterosigma akashiwo, finding that 80-nanometer particles were more toxic than 1-micrometer particles. The study showed that smaller nanoplastics at higher concentrations inhibited algal growth and photosynthesis, disrupted antioxidant enzyme activity, and altered gene expression, suggesting size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse physiological and molecular level effects of polystyrene microplastics on freshwater microalgae

Researchers investigated the toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on the freshwater microalgae Euglena gracilis. The study found that microplastic exposure at 1 mg/L induced vacuole formation within 24 hours and significantly disrupted photosynthesis, with smaller particles (0.1 micrometers) causing more severe cellular damage than larger ones (5 micrometers), suggesting size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.

2020 Chemosphere 164 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus: Effects of particle size and surface charge

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and surface charges affect the freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus. The study found that smaller 1-micrometer particles caused greater oxidative stress, reduced photosynthetic effectiveness, and decreased membrane integrity compared to larger 12-micrometer particles, with effects being dose-dependent.

2022 Toxicology Reports 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent Toxicityof Polystyrene Nanoplasticsto Tetrahymena thermophila: A Toxicokinetic–ToxicodynamicAssessment

Researchers synthesized polystyrene nanoplastics of four different sizes (50–500 nm) and exposed the ciliated protist Tetrahymena thermophila to each, finding that smaller particles were more toxic and caused greater bioaccumulation, confirming a size-dependent relationship between nanoplastic properties and ecotoxicological risk.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Different effecting mechanisms of two sized polystyrene microplastics on microalgal oxidative stress and photosynthetic responses

Researchers found that 1 micrometer polystyrene microplastics caused more oxidative stress and cell death in marine diatoms, while 0.1 micrometer particles caused greater light shading and pigment decline, revealing distinct size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics particle size on the toxicity of the microalgae Scenedesmus sp.

This study tested how particle size affects the toxicity of microplastics to freshwater microalgae (Scenedesmus sp.), finding that smaller particles were more toxic. The size-dependent toxicity of microplastics is important for risk assessment, as environmental samples contain particles of widely varying sizes.

2021 Repository of Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology University of Zagreb
Article Tier 2

Toxicological effects of nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics on red tilapia: Are larger plastic particles more harmless?

Researchers exposed red tilapia to three sizes of polystyrene particles (0.3, 5, and 70-90 micrometers) to compare their toxic effects. The study found that the largest particles showed the highest accumulation in tissues, but all sizes induced oxidative stress, disrupted cytochrome P450 enzymes, caused neurotoxicity, and altered metabolic profiles, indicating that even smaller nanoplastics can cause significant harm to fish.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 253 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of the toxic effects of different polystyrene micro-and nanoplastics on microalgae Chlorella vulgaris by analysis of cell viability, pigment content, oxidative stress and ultrastructural changes

Researchers examined the toxic effects of different-sized polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the microalga Chlorella vulgaris in long-term exposure tests. The study found that smaller particles (20 and 50 nm) caused greater reductions in cell viability and chlorophyll concentration than larger ones, with surface functionalization also influencing toxicity and ultrastructural damage.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 209 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and molecular responses to different sizes of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics in the model unicellular eukaryote Paramecium tetraurelia

Researchers exposed single-celled organisms (Paramecium) to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics of different sizes and found that toxicity increased as particle size decreased. The smallest particles caused the most significant oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disruption to cellular functions including energy metabolism and waste processing. The study provides evidence that nanoplastics pose greater risks to aquatic microorganisms than larger microplastic particles.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanism of transport and toxicity response of Chlorella sorokiniana to polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics are transported into freshwater algae cells and what toxic effects they cause. They found that the tiny plastic particles entered the cells through specific pathways and triggered oxidative stress, inhibiting algae growth. The study provides new insights into how nanoplastics disrupt the base of aquatic food chains by damaging microscopic organisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicity of micro- and nanoplastics on aquatic algae: Facts, challenges, and future opportunities

This review provides a comprehensive assessment of how micro- and nanoplastics harm aquatic algae, which form the base of ocean and freshwater food chains. The toxic effects include reduced growth, oxidative stress, and disrupted photosynthesis, with nanoplastics generally causing more damage than larger particles. Since algae support the entire aquatic food web, their decline from plastic pollution could reduce the quality and safety of fish and shellfish consumed by people.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Potential for high toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the European Daphnia longispina

Researchers exposed water fleas (Daphnia) to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that 50 nm particles were thousands of times more toxic per unit mass than 100 nm particles, with effects comparable to highly regulated toxic chemicals. The results highlight how particle size dramatically changes nanoplastic hazard and challenge the assumption that microplastics pose low ecological risk.

2023 Environmental Sciences Europe 14 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis for systematic review of global micro/nano-plastics contamination versus various freshwater microalgae: Toxicological effect patterns, taxon-specific response, and potential eco-risks

A meta-analysis of 1,071 observations found that nanoplastics cause more severe cell membrane damage than microplastics, while microplastics more strongly inhibit photosynthesis in freshwater microalgae. Among polymer types, polyamide caused the highest growth inhibition, polystyrene induced the most toxin release, and diatoms were the most sensitive algal group while cyanobacteria showed exceptional resilience.

2024 Water Research 36 citations