Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Role of microalgae as a sustainable alternative of biopolymers and its application in industries

Not a microplastics paper — this review examines the potential of algae-derived biopolymers (such as alginate, carrageenan, and polyhydroxyalkanoates) as biodegradable, eco-friendly replacements for petroleum-based plastics, highlighting their advantages but noting challenges for large-scale production.

2023 Plant Science Today 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Concepts and Trends for Extraction and Application of Microalgae Carbohydrates

This review covers how carbohydrates from microalgae can be extracted and used in health, food, and industrial applications. Microalgae research is relevant to microplastics because algae are sensitive to plastic particle toxicity and because algal coatings on microplastics affect how marine organisms interact with them.

2019 IntechOpen eBooks 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastic Removal in Water System Using Porphyridium cruentum Microalgae

Researchers evaluated the ability of the red microalga Porphyridium cruentum to remove PET microplastics from water through a bio-aggregation process mediated by exopolysaccharides. The study found that while high microplastic concentrations reduced algal growth, the algae produced more exopolysaccharides in response, achieving up to 89% microplastic removal, suggesting a potential nature-based approach for water treatment.

2026 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Microalgae as Contributors to Produce Biopolymers

This review examined how microalgae can produce biopolymers as sustainable alternatives to fossil-based plastics, highlighting their potential for generating biodegradable materials like polyhydroxyalkanoates and polysaccharides for packaging and biomedical applications.

2021 Marine Drugs 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Bioplastic Production from Microalgae and their Applications- A Critical Review

This review critically examines bioplastic production from microalgae, evaluating algal strains, cultivation conditions, and extraction methods, while noting that multiple health risks associated with conventional microplastics have increased the urgency of developing algae-based alternatives.

2022 Journal Of Biochemical Technology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Functional groups in microalgal extracellular polymeric substances: A promising biopolymer for microplastic mitigation in marine ecosystems

Researchers characterized the sticky, sugar-like substances (extracellular polymeric substances, or EPS) produced by three types of microalgae and found these natural biopolymers could potentially bind and aggregate microplastics in marine environments, pointing toward a nature-based approach to reducing ocean plastic pollution.

2025 Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae as a Source of Biopolymer - A Comprehensive Review

This review examines microalgae as a source of biopolymers for sustainable plastic alternatives, evaluating the potential of algae-derived materials to address the environmental and health harms caused by conventional plastic waste and microplastic pollution through biodegradable substitutes.

2022 Journal Of Biochemical Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae in Bioplastic Production: A Comprehensive Review

Researchers reviewed microalgae as a feedstock for bioplastic production, highlighting that algal polysaccharides and polyhydroxyalkanoate content can be harnessed through blending or fermentation-based methods, with genetic engineering tools like CRISPR offering potential to boost yields toward commercial viability.

2023 Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae Polysaccharides: An Overview of Production, Characterization, and Potential Applications

This review covers microalgae polysaccharide production, characterization, and applications, highlighting their antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiviral properties while noting that microalgae can simultaneously remediate wastewater during biomass growth.

2021 Polysaccharides 118 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine vs freshwater microalgae exopolymers as biosolutions to microplastics pollution

Marine and freshwater microalgae were found to produce exopolymer substances that form hetero-aggregates with microplastic particles, suggesting these biological secretions could promote microplastic sedimentation and reduce surface-water concentrations.

2019 Environmental Pollution 215 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae colonization of different microplastic polymers in experimental mesocosms across an environmental gradient

Microalgal colonization of five different microplastic polymer types was monitored in freshwater mesocosms across an environmental gradient, finding that polymer type, surface properties, and environmental conditions all influenced the biomass and community composition of epiplastic microalgal biofilms.

2021 Global Change Biology 59 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of microplastics pollution in microalgal biomass production: A biochemical study

Scientists exposed the marine microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum to polystyrene microplastics and found that both short- and long-term exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations disrupted biochemical composition including proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.

2020 Water Research 64 citations
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

Emerging Technologies for the Discovery of Novel Diversity in Cyanobacteria and Algae and the Elucidation of Their Valuable Metabolites

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reviews emerging biotechnology and omics methods for discovering new cyanobacteria and microalgae species and characterizing their bioactive metabolites for industrial applications.

2023 Diversity 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The utilization of exopolysaccharide (EPS) from microalgae Chlorella vulgaris in microplastic removal

Researchers investigated whether exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Chlorella vulgaris microalgae can facilitate the removal of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics from aquatic systems, while also examining microplastic effects on algal growth. The study demonstrates that EPS functions as a bioflocculant capable of binding microplastics, with implications for biologically-based water treatment.

2024 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 1 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics – A major contaminant in marine macro algal population: Review

This review identified the occurrence and characteristics of microplastics in marine macroalgae, highlighting macroalgae as both indicators of MP pollution and potential entry points for microplastics into marine food webs.

2023 Marine Environmental Research 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Obtaining polyhydroxyalkanoate and plastic film formation from the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris under light stress and nitrogen deficiency

Researchers evaluated polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production and plastic film formation from the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris under conditions of constant light stress, photoperiod variation, and nitrogen source deficiency. The study measured cell concentration and productivity parameters to identify optimal cultivation conditions for generating biopolymers from microalgal biomass.

2024 Research Society and Development 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the potential of microalgae in removal of microplastics from the environment and scope of this entity as feedstock for biofuel production

This review explores the potential of microalgae to capture and remove microplastics from aquatic environments, examining the mechanisms by which algal cells adsorb or aggregate plastic particles and discussing the feasibility of algae-based remediation at scale.

2025
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Evaluating physiological responses of microalgae towards environmentally coexisting microplastics: A meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of 52 studies found that microplastics inhibit microalgal growth and photosynthesis and induce oxidative damage, though microalgae can recover over time. Cyanobacteria are more vulnerable than green algae, and the relative size of microplastics to algal cells governs the mechanism of impact, while aged versus pristine microplastics have opposite effects on extracellular polymeric substance and microcystin production.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 9 citations
Article Tier 2

The Growth Inhibition of Polyethylene Nanoplastics on the Bait-Microalgae Isochrysis galbana Based on the Transcriptome Analysis

Researchers found that polyethylene nanoplastics (50 nm) significantly inhibited growth and reduced chlorophyll in the bait microalga Isochrysis galbana through oxidative stress and disrupted gene expression, while larger microplastics had no significant impact.

2023 Microorganisms 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Selection of microalgae and cyanobacteria to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) - A case study in Vietnam

Researchers screened 47 strains of microalgae and cyanobacteria from Vietnam for their ability to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) — biodegradable plastics made by microorganisms — finding 15 strains capable of producing them, with several Arthrospira (spirulina-type) strains accumulating the most. These naturally produced bioplastics could serve as a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution.

2024 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic removal in aquatic systems using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of microalgae

Researchers tested whether extracellular polymeric substances produced by microalgae could remove microplastics from water. Among four microalgae strains tested under stress conditions, Spirulina produced the most polymeric substances and formed the largest aggregates with microplastic particles. The study suggests that microalgae-based bioremediation could offer a sustainable, low-cost approach to reducing microplastic contamination in water sources.

2025 Sustainable Environment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Microalgae for Plastic Biodegradation and Bioplastics Production

This review examines how microalgae biodegrade plastics through enzyme and toxin production while also serving as feedstocks for bioplastic manufacture, exploring both the mechanisms of algal stress from microplastic exposure and the potential of algae-derived biodegradable polymers.

2024
Article Tier 2

Comparative assessment of MP effects on pigment composition and lipid profiles in three marine microalgae

Researchers exposed three marine microalgae species to polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics and found that the particles altered pigment composition and lipid profiles in species-specific ways. Microplastic exposure generally reduced photosynthetic pigments and shifted fatty acid profiles, with effects varying depending on the polymer type and concentration ratio. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could disrupt the biochemistry of ecologically and commercially important microalgae at the base of marine food webs.

2026 Chemosphere