Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Differential effect of nano vs. micro-sized plastics on live Chlorella sp. algae in water environment.

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastic and nanoplastic particles of different sizes (20 nm to 2000 nm) interact with Chlorella sp. algae using confocal microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging, finding that smaller particles (20-500 nm) formed corona-like structures around algae and disrupted chlorophyll photosynthesis, while larger particles (1000-2000 nm) acted as nucleation sites for algal clustering without affecting chlorophyll fluorescence.

2024
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

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

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

Concentration dependent toxicity of microplastics to marine microalgae

Researchers exposed the marine microalga Chlorella sp. to polystyrene microplastics at concentrations of 10 and 50 mg/L, finding that even low concentrations inhibited growth and disrupted photosynthesis, while higher concentrations caused more pronounced oxidative stress.

2025 E3S Web of Conferences
Article Tier 2

Effects of different concentrations and particle sizes of microplastics on the full life history of freshwater Chlorella

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different concentrations and particle sizes affect the complete life cycle of freshwater Chlorella algae. The study found that microplastics can inhibit algal growth by up to 68%, while also altering chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity, indicating that microplastic pollution may pose significant risks to the base of aquatic food webs.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 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

Microplastics and Heavy Metals Removal from Fresh Water and Wastewater Systems Using a Membrane

Researchers tested how polystyrene microplastics affect the growth, photosynthesis, and oxidative stress responses of freshwater microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. Smaller particles caused greater inhibition of growth and chlorophyll synthesis than larger ones.

2022 Separations 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the growth, photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient composition in freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris Beij

Researchers tested how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect the freshwater algae Chlorella vulgaris and found that smaller particles and higher concentrations caused more harm. The microplastics reduced algal growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and disrupted nutrient composition over the 11-day experiment. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, this damage could ripple upward through ecosystems that ultimately connect to human food sources.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Nanopolystyrene on the Chlorophyll pigment content of Chlorella vulgaris

Long-term toxicity tests showed that nanopolystyrene exposure inhibited chlorophyll pigment content in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris across red, blue, and white light spectra, with effects varying by light condition and dose. The study provided evidence that nanoplastics can impair algal photosynthesis, with implications for aquatic primary productivity.

2024 Basrah Researches Sciences
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

Eco-corona formation lessens the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics towards marine microalgae Chlorella sp.

Researchers studied how eco-corona formation, the adsorption of algal exudates onto nanoplastic surfaces, affects the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the marine microalga Chlorella sp. The study found that eco-corona formation reduced the toxic effects of nanoplastics, suggesting that natural organic matter in marine environments may partially mitigate nanoplastic toxicity to algae.

2020 Environmental Research 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-Dependent Effects of Polystyrene Nanoplastics on Freshwater Microalgae After Long-Term Exposure

Researchers exposed a common freshwater algae species to polystyrene nanoplastics of three different sizes over an extended period. They found that the smallest particles caused the most damage to algae cells, while the largest particles had relatively mild effects, revealing a clear size-dependent toxicity pattern. The study suggests that the tiniest nanoplastic particles in freshwater environments may pose the greatest risk to the base of aquatic food webs.

2025 Water 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics impacts in seven flagellate microalgae: Role of size and cell wall

Seven marine flagellate microalgae species were incubated with 1-micrometer polystyrene microplastics at 10 mg/L, revealing that cell size and the presence of a cell wall strongly influenced the degree of microplastic-induced physiological and growth effects across species.

2021 Environmental Research 23 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
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
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

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

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause growth inhibition, morphological damage and physiological disturbance in the marine microalga Platymonas helgolandica

Researchers exposed marine green microalgae to polystyrene nanoplastics and found significant growth inhibition, increased membrane permeability, disrupted photosynthesis, and visible morphological damage — including surface fragmentation and cellular rupture — at concentrations as low as 200 µg/L.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of coral reef dinoflagellates to nanoplastics under experimental conditions

Researchers exposed symbiotic dinoflagellates from coral reefs to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that cell growth and aggregation were significantly reduced after 10 days. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution could harm the tiny algae that are essential to coral reef health, with potential consequences for reef ecosystems.

2020 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Energy metabolism response induced by microplastic for marine dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi

Researchers examined how different sizes and types of plastic particles affect the energy metabolism of the marine dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi. The study found that smaller polystyrene particles caused greater damage to cell membrane potential, increased polysaccharide content, and weakened ATPase activity, indicating that nano-scale plastics have a more pronounced impact on cellular energy metabolism than larger microplastics.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
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

Do plastic particles affect microalgal photosynthesis and growth?

This study investigated whether polystyrene particles of different sizes and charges affect growth and photosynthesis in three marine microalgae species. The results showed that charged particles caused greater inhibition of algal growth at the lowest concentrations tested, suggesting that plastic particle charge and size influence their toxicity to primary producers at the base of marine food chains.

2016 Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
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