Papers

20 results
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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

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

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

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

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 toxic effects of polystyrene microplastic exposure on Microcystis aeruginosa growth and microcystin production

Researchers exposed the freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to polystyrene microplastics of two sizes and found that particle size significantly influenced the effects. The larger 1-micrometer particles promoted algal growth while aggregating on cell surfaces and inhibiting photosynthesis, whereas 100-nanometer particles stimulated toxin production. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in freshwater may have complex, size-dependent effects on harmful algal blooms and their toxin output.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 152 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the molecular mechanisms of size-dependent effect of polystyrene micro/nano-plastics on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii through proteomic profiling

Researchers used proteomic profiling to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind how different sizes of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. They found that particle size plays a critical role in determining the type and severity of biological responses in the algae. The study suggests that nanoscale plastic particles may pose distinct ecological risks compared to larger microplastics due to their ability to trigger different cellular stress pathways.

2024 Chemosphere 11 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

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

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

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

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

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

The effects and mechanisms of polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate with different sizes and concentrations on Gymnodinium aeruginosum

Researchers exposed the microalga Gymnodinium aeruginosum to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics of different sizes and concentrations, finding that smaller particles and higher concentrations caused greater oxidative stress and growth inhibition. The study revealed that microplastics can physically adhere to and damage algal cell membranes, disrupting cellular structure and function.

2021 Environmental Pollution 81 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

Is hydrodynamic diameter the decisive factor? - Comparison of the toxic mechanism of nSiO2 and mPS on marine microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo

Researchers compared the toxic mechanisms of silica nanoparticles (nSiO2) and polystyrene microplastics (mPS) on the marine microalgae Heterosigma akashiwo over 96 hours, using growth inhibition tests to assess whether hydrodynamic diameter is the key determinant of toxicity. They found that particles with similar hydrodynamic diameters produced similar toxic mechanisms, suggesting particle size in solution is a more critical toxicity driver than material composition alone.

2022 Aquatic Toxicology 19 citations
Article Tier 2

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

Researchers exposed live Chlorella sp. algae to polystyrene particles ranging from 20 nm to 2000 nm and used confocal microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging to characterize interactions. Nanoplastics of 20–500 nm formed corona-like structures around algae cells and reduced chlorophyll fluorescence intensity and lifetime, indicating impaired photosynthesis, while larger 1000–2000 nm particles had minimal effects.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Micrometer scale polystyrene plastics of varying concentrations and particle sizes inhibit growth and upregulate microcystin-related gene expression in Microcystis aeruginosa

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics inhibited the growth of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa in a dose- and size-dependent manner, with smaller particles and higher concentrations causing greater growth suppression. Notably, microplastic exposure also upregulated genes related to microcystin production, suggesting that microplastics could potentially increase the toxicity of harmful algal blooms.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 97 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro/nano-plastics and microalgae in aquatic environment: Influence factor, interaction, and molecular mechanisms.

This review examined the interactions between micro/nanoplastics and microalgae in aquatic environments, summarizing how plastic particle size, surface chemistry, and co-pollutants influence algal toxicity through oxidative stress, photosynthesis inhibition, and gene expression changes.

2024 The Science of the total environment
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