Papers

9 results
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Article Tier 2

Algal extracellular polymeric substances (algal-EPS) for mitigating the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and nano-TiO2 in Chlorella sp.

This study found that algal extracellular polymeric substances can coat both polystyrene nanoplastics and titanium dioxide nanoparticles and reduce their combined toxic effects on the green alga Chlorella, suggesting that natural organic matter in marine environments can buffer combined nanoparticle toxicity.

2023 Nanotoxicology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Nano- and microplastics trigger secretion of protein-rich extracellular polymeric substances from phytoplankton

Researchers exposed four marine phytoplankton species to polystyrene nano- and microplastics and found that the smallest particles (55 nm nanoplastics) caused the most stress, reducing cell survival and altering the composition of secreted extracellular substances. The stressed phytoplankton produced protein-rich exopolymeric substances that facilitated the formation of aggregates around the plastic particles. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution can change how marine microorganisms interact with their environment, affecting both plastic fate and microbial ecology.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 158 citations
Article Tier 2

Interplay between extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from a marine diatom and model nanoplastic through eco-corona formation

Researchers incubated polystyrene nanoplastics with extracellular polymeric substances secreted by a marine diatom and found that these biological molecules rapidly formed an "eco-corona" coating on the nanoparticles, significantly slowing their aggregation and reducing oxidative stress in algae — suggesting that natural organic matter in seawater substantially alters nanoplastic behavior and toxicity.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 136 citations
Article Tier 2

Extracellular polymers substances towards the toxicity effect of Microcystis flos-aquae under subjected to nanoplastic stress

Researchers studied how nanoplastics affect a common freshwater algae and found that the algae produce protective substances in response, but the plastic particles still significantly inhibited growth and disrupted photosynthesis. This matters because harmful algal blooms and water quality are affected by nanoplastic pollution, with downstream consequences for drinking water safety and aquatic food sources.

2025 Environmental Pollution 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Hetero-Aggregation of Nanoplastics with Freshwater Algae and the Toxicological Consequences: The Role of Extracellular Polymeric Substances

Researchers studied how polystyrene and polylactic acid nanoplastics hetero-aggregate with the alga Chlorella vulgaris, finding that extracellular polymeric substances released by algae strongly influenced aggregation behavior and that aggregation altered the toxicity of nanoplastics.

2025 Toxics
Article Tier 2

An ecotoxicological approach towards the understanding of the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics in the marine environment

This PhD thesis investigated how micro- and nanoplastics affect marine microalgae and associated microbial consortia, examining how extracellular polymeric substances mediate plastic-biota interactions and how these effects cascade to higher trophic levels in marine food webs.

2025 Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University)
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of microplastics on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in estuarine microalgae under stress conditions

Researchers examined how extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) mediate the response of two estuarine microalgae species — Scenedesmus obliquus and Skeletonema costatum — to polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics. They found species-specific differences, with EPS removal reducing stress tolerance in both species, and S. costatum showing greater photosynthetic regulation capacity under high microplastic concentrations.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Algal EPS modifies the toxicity potential of the mixture of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and triphenyl phosphate in freshwater microalgae Chlorella sp.

Researchers found that a natural substance produced by algae (extracellular polymeric substances, or EPS) can reduce the toxic effects of nanoplastics combined with a flame retardant chemical in freshwater. The EPS coated the nanoplastics and reduced their ability to harm algal cells. This natural protective mechanism could play an important role in how aquatic ecosystems buffer against the combined threat of microplastics and chemical pollutants.

2024 Chemosphere 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes of the physicochemical properties of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from Microcystis aeruginosa in response to microplastics

This study examined how microplastics affect the extracellular polymeric substances produced by the common freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa, which plays a role in harmful algal blooms. Researchers found that microplastic exposure altered the composition and structure of these substances over time. The findings suggest that microplastics could influence how cyanobacteria aggregate and form blooms, with potential implications for water quality management.

2022 Environmental Pollution 94 citations