Papers

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Article Tier 2

Growth inhibition of the microalgae Skeletonema costatum under copper nanoparticles with microplastic exposure

Researchers tested the combined toxicity of copper nanoparticles and microplastics on the marine microalgae Skeletonema costatum through growth inhibition experiments. The study found that both pollutants individually inhibited algal growth, and when present together their combined effect was more severe, with growth inhibition increasing alongside higher particle concentrations and longer exposure times.

2020 Marine Environmental Research 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper on Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis: Perspectives from growth inhibition, chlorophyll content and oxidative stress

Researchers investigated the single and combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper on the marine microalga Platymonas helgolandica. The study found that copper alone inhibited growth in a dose-dependent manner, while nanoplastics modified copper's bioavailability and altered the combined toxic response. The results suggest that the interaction between nanoplastics and heavy metals can produce complex toxicity patterns that differ from individual exposures.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 60 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Microplastics on the Growth of Skeletonema Costatum

Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum to polystyrene microplastics at 0.1 and 10 mg/L, finding that both concentrations initially stimulated cell growth and chlorophyll content but also elevated antioxidant enzyme activity, indicating a stress response even when growth appeared enhanced.

2025 Environment Resource and Ecology Journal
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and copper on the growth and nutritional profile of Raphidocelis subcapitata

Researchers investigated the combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and copper on the growth and nutritional profile of the freshwater green alga Raphidocelis subcapitata, examining whether co-exposure to these two contaminants produces interactive toxicity effects beyond individual exposures.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Influence of polystyrene microplastic and nanoplastic on copper toxicity in two freshwater microalgae

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics affect the toxicity of copper to two freshwater microalgae species over extended exposure periods. They found that microplastics generally reduced copper toxicity by adsorbing copper ions, while nanoplastics had more variable effects depending on concentration and algal species. The study highlights that the size of plastic particles plays an important role in how they modify the bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals in aquatic environments.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 71 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of polystyrene plastics on the toxicity of triphenyltin to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum—influence of plastic particle size

The presence of polystyrene particles of different sizes was found to modify the toxicity of triphenyltin (a toxic organotin compound) to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum, with effects depending on whether the plastic particles increased or decreased the bioavailability of the chemical. The study illustrates how microplastics can alter the toxicity of co-occurring chemical pollutants to sensitive marine microalgae.

2019 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of microplastic on marine microalgae Skeletonema costatum: Interactions between microplastic and algae

Researchers found that micrometer-sized PVC microplastics significantly inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of the marine microalga Skeletonema costatum — reaching up to 39.7% growth inhibition — primarily through direct physical adsorption and aggregation between particles and algal cells rather than by shading effects alone.

2016 Environmental Pollution 823 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of pristine and aged polystyrene and their leachate on marine microalgae Skeletonema costatum

Researchers compared the toxic effects of pristine and aged polystyrene microplastics, as well as their chemical leachates, on the marine microalga Skeletonema costatum. The study found that aged microplastics and their leachates caused greater growth inhibition, reduced chlorophyll concentration, and triggered stronger oxidative stress responses than pristine particles, suggesting that environmental weathering increases the toxicity of plastic debris.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of copper and microplastics on physiological parameters of Tubastrea aurea corals

Combined exposure of the azooxanthellate coral Tubastrea aurea to copper ions and polystyrene microplastics produced synergistic toxicity, reducing photosynthetic activity and elevating oxidative stress markers more than either pollutant alone, suggesting compounding risks in metal-contaminated coastal waters.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics decrease the toxicity of sulfamethoxazole to marine algae (Skeletonema costatum) at the cellular and molecular levels

Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole and five types of microplastics on the marine alga Skeletonema costatum. They found that certain microplastics actually decreased the toxicity of the antibiotic by adsorbing it, creating a protective "shelter" effect, though polystyrene combined with the antibiotic caused higher oxidative stress. The study suggests that microplastics can alter the bioavailability and toxicity of co-occurring pollutants in marine environments through adsorption interactions.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics alleviate the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles to the marine algae Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis

Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to alleviate the toxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles to the marine microalga Chlorella vulgaris, likely by adsorbing copper ions onto their surface and reducing bioavailability. The antagonistic interaction highlights how co-occurring nanomaterials can unexpectedly modify each other's environmental toxicity.

2022 Frontiers in Marine Science 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Role of Polystyrene Microplastics in Cu Binding in Sea Surface Waters: An Experimental Perspective for Future Research

The role of polystyrene microplastics in binding copper (Cu) and altering its environmental mobility and toxicity was investigated, finding that microplastics can both adsorb and release copper depending on environmental conditions. This has implications for how microplastics modulate heavy metal hazards in contaminated environments.

2025 Microplastics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on copper toxicity to the protozoan Euglena gracilis: emphasis on different evaluation methods, photosynthesis, and metal accumulation

Polystyrene microplastics altered the toxicity of copper to the protozoan Euglena gracilis, with effects on photosynthesis and metal accumulation showing that microplastics can either enhance or reduce copper toxicity depending on exposure concentration and duration.

2021 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption properties and influencing factors of Cu(II) on polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics in seawater

Researchers investigated how polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics adsorb copper ions in seawater, characterizing adsorption kinetics and influencing factors to understand microplastics' role as vectors for heavy metal pollutants in marine environments.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 126 citations
Article Tier 2

Joint toxicity of microplastics with triclosan to marine microalgae Skeletonema costatum

Researchers investigated the combined toxicity of triclosan and four types of microplastics on the marine microalga Skeletonema costatum. They found that while all microplastics individually inhibited algal growth, PVC and smaller particles had the strongest effects, and the joint toxicity with triclosan followed an antagonistic pattern rather than additive or synergistic. The study suggests that microplastics can adsorb organic pollutants and partially reduce their bioavailability, though the physical damage from smaller particles remains a significant concern.

2018 Environmental Pollution 337 citations
Article Tier 2

Influences of different functional groups on the toxicity of pyrene derivatives to Skeletonema costatum: Interactive effects with polystyrene microplastics

Researchers examined how polystyrene microplastics modify the toxicity of pyrene and four pyrene derivatives to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum, finding that functional groups on the pyrene molecule determined whether microplastics enhanced or reduced algal toxicity.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

Aged microplastics decrease the bioavailability of coexisting heavy metals to microalga Chlorella vulgaris

Researchers studied how aged (environmentally weathered) microplastics interact with heavy metals copper and cadmium in their effects on green algae. They found that while both microplastics and heavy metals individually inhibited algal growth, combining aged microplastics with heavy metals actually reduced the toxicity of the metals. The study suggests that aged microplastics can adsorb heavy metals from water, decreasing their availability to organisms, though the microplastics themselves still pose a separate toxic threat.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 106 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the extracellular and intracellular dissolved organic matter released by Skeletonema costatum using a novel in situ method

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect the dissolved organic matter released by the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum. They found that microplastic exposure altered both the quantity and chemical composition of organic compounds released by the algae, which could in turn influence how other contaminants behave in seawater. The study reveals an indirect pathway through which microplastics may affect marine chemistry and pollutant cycling.

2024 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1) on physiological performance of marine diatom Thalassiosira minima

Scientists studied how polystyrene nanoplastics and a marine algal toxin called dinophysistoxin-1 affect a common ocean diatom, both individually and in combination. The nanoplastics alone reduced diatom growth by over 50%, while the toxin reduced it by 22%, but when combined, the nanoplastics actually absorbed some of the toxin and partially offset its effects. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in coastal waters creates complex, unpredictable interactions with other marine contaminants that could disrupt the base of the ocean food chain.

2025 Water Research 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics and microplastic-metal combinations on growth and chlorophyll a concentration of Chlorella vulgaris

Researchers tested the effects of polystyrene microplastics alone and in combination with metals (copper, zinc, manganese) on the freshwater microalga Chlorella vulgaris. The study found that low microplastic concentrations had no significant impact, but higher concentrations reduced algal growth and chlorophyll content, with metal-microplastic combinations producing more pronounced effects.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 231 citations
Article Tier 2

Antagonistic effects of copper and microplastics in single and binary mixtures on development and reproduction in the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia carinata

Combined exposure of the freshwater cladoceran Daphnia carinata to polyethylene microplastics and copper showed antagonistic effects on survival and reproduction, with microplastics reducing the bioavailability of copper through adsorption, resulting in lower combined toxicity than copper alone at some concentrations.

2021 Environmental Technology & Innovation 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of nanoplastics and copper on the freshwater alga Raphidocelis subcapitata

Researchers found that carboxylated polystyrene nanoplastics do not adsorb copper ions or alter copper toxicity to freshwater algae in short- or long-term tests, but that nanoplastics do attach to algal cell walls and cause morphological changes — highlighting the importance of prolonged exposures and multiple endpoints in nanoplastic toxicity assessments.

2019 Aquatic Toxicology 173 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene and triphenyl phosphate on growth, photosynthesis and oxidative stress of Chaetoceros meülleri

Researchers studied the single and combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and the flame retardant triphenyl phosphate on the marine diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. Both pollutants individually inhibited cell growth and increased oxidative stress, while their combined exposure produced interactive effects on photosynthesis and cell membrane integrity. The study suggests that microplastics and their associated chemical additives can jointly impact the health of marine microalgae at the base of the food web.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Interfacial interactions between colloidal polystyrene microplastics and Cu in aqueous solution and saturated porous media: Model fitting and mechanism analysis

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with copper in water and in saturated porous media like soil. They found that microplastics have strong adsorption capacity for copper through electrostatic and chemical bonding, and that copper can inhibit microplastic transport while microplastics may facilitate copper transport through a carrying effect. The findings suggest that interactions between microplastics and heavy metals can significantly influence how both pollutants move through groundwater systems.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 10 citations