Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The Potential of Algae-Based Nutrient Removal in Wastewater Treatment

Chlorella vulgaris microalgae were tested as a wastewater treatment agent and achieved removal rates of up to 98% for ammonia-nitrogen, 96.6% for chemical oxygen demand, and 82% for biochemical oxygen demand in batch reactors. A notable finding is that microplastics added to the culture did not prevent the algae from functioning effectively, suggesting this approach could be compatible with plastic-contaminated wastewater streams.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics on microalgal performance during wastewater polishing

Researchers studied how five common types of microplastics affect the green alga Chlorella vulgaris during wastewater treatment. They found that while microplastics reduced algal metabolism and growth, the organism maintained its ability to effectively remove nutrients from wastewater. The study demonstrates that Chlorella vulgaris is a robust candidate for bioremediation of microplastic-contaminated wastewater, even under pollutant stress.

2026 Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics by algal biomass from aqueous solutions: performance, optimization, and modeling

Researchers found that algae (Chlorella vulgaris) can remove up to 73% of polystyrene microplastics from water under optimized conditions. Using algae as a natural, eco-friendly alternative to chemical treatments offers a sustainable approach to cleaning up microplastic pollution in water systems without introducing additional harmful substances.

2025 Scientific Reports 33 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
Article Tier 2

Utilizing Chlorella vulgaris algae as an eco-friendly coagulant for efficient removal of polyethylene microplastics from aquatic environments

Researchers tested the green algae Chlorella vulgaris as an eco-friendly coagulant for removing polyethylene microplastics from water. Using optimized experimental conditions, they achieved a removal rate of nearly 99% under the best parameters. The study suggests that algae-based coagulation offers a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to chemical methods for cleaning microplastic-contaminated water.

2023 Heliyon 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Are native microalgae consortia able to remove microplastics from wastewater effluents?

Researchers investigated whether native microalgae communities found in wastewater could effectively remove microplastics from treatment plant effluent. The study monitored microplastic occurrence across two different types of wastewater treatment plants over one year, characterizing particles by shape, size, and polymer type. Evidence indicates that wastewater-native microalgae consortia show potential as a dual-purpose solution for both microplastic mitigation and biomass production.

2024 Environmental Pollution 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Microalgae’s Plastic Biodeterioration Property by a Consortium of Chlorella sp. and Cyanobacteria sp.

Researchers found that a consortium of Chlorella sp. and Cyanobacteria sp. microalgae demonstrated plastic biodeterioration capability, offering a biological approach to reducing microplastic pollution in Malaysia where plastic waste mismanagement is a significant problem.

2021 Environmental Research Engineering and Management 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of polystyrene microplastics on levofloxacin removal by microalgae from freshwater aquaculture wastewater

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics inhibited Chlorella vulgaris growth and reduced its efficiency in removing the antibiotic levofloxacin from freshwater aquaculture wastewater, demonstrating that microplastic pollution can impair microalgae-based water treatment systems.

2021 Journal of Environmental Management 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Extensive investigation and beyond the removal of micro-polyvinyl chloride by microalgae to promote environmental health

Researchers found that Chlorella sp. microalgae can effectively remove micro-polyvinyl chloride particles from water, though PVC exposure at high concentrations triggered oxidative stress responses, suggesting algae-based remediation as a promising strategy for microplastic pollution.

2022 Chemosphere 25 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

Removal of Microplastics from Industrial Wastewater Using Microalgae

This review examines the use of microalgae as a sustainable biological approach for removing microplastics from wastewater, covering mechanisms of MP attachment to algal surfaces, factors affecting removal efficiency, and prospects for integrating algae cultivation with wastewater treatment.

2025
Article Tier 2

Interplay of plastic pollution with algae and plants: hidden danger or a blessing?

Researchers tested the ability of three microalgae species to remove microplastics from water through bioadhesion, finding that all three species could adsorb particles onto their surfaces. Removal efficiency depended on particle size, surface charge, and algae cell morphology.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Harvesting Baltic Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris BA-167 Using Coagulant Flokor 1.2A via Static Sedimentation Under Auto- and Targeted Flocculation

Despite its title referencing microalgae harvesting, this paper studies methods for efficiently separating Chlorella vulgaris microalgae from cultivation water using a coagulant called Flokor 1.2A — not microplastic pollution. It examines industrial microalgae production processes and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Applied Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of environmental microplastic exposure on Chlorella sp. biofilm characteristics and its interaction with nitric oxide signaling

Researchers examined how environmental microplastic exposure affects the formation of algae biofilms and their interaction with nitric oxide signaling. They found that microplastics disrupted biofilm development and altered the way algae cells communicate through chemical signals. The study suggests that microplastic pollution could impair the natural ability of algae to form protective communities used in wastewater treatment applications.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Chlorella vulgaris biosorption capacity for phosphate and nitrate removal from wastewater

Researchers found that the common green microalgae Chlorella vulgaris can effectively remove phosphate and nitrate from wastewater through a natural adsorption process, with optimal removal at neutral pH and 24-hour contact time — offering a low-cost, environmentally friendly alternative to chemical water treatment.

2024 Scientific Reports 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Are algae a promising ecofriendly approach to micro/nanoplastic remediation?

This review examines the potential of algae as an eco-friendly approach to removing micro- and nanoplastics from wastewater treatment plant effluents, covering mechanisms including interception, entanglement, and heteroaggregation. Algae also offer the added benefit of nutrient recovery from wastewater and can be further processed into biochar or biofertilizer.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent progress on the toxic effects of microplastics on Chlorella sp. in aquatic environments

This review summarizes research on how microplastics affect Chlorella, a type of green algae that forms the base of aquatic food chains. Microplastics can slow algae growth, cause oxidative stress, and disrupt photosynthesis, which matters for human health because damage to these foundational organisms can ripple up through the food web and affect the quality of water and seafood.

2024 Heliyon 39 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluating the impact of innovative algae- based membrane bioreactors against the emerging microplastic crisisin combating water pollution

This study evaluated algae-based membrane bioreactors for removing microplastics and other emerging contaminants from wastewater, finding that combining algal biomass with membrane filtration improved MP removal efficiency compared to conventional biological treatment alone.

2025
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of microplastics observed on the growth rate and health of the freshwater alga, Chlorella sp. 12.

This Australian collaborative project investigated the effects of microplastics on freshwater ecological communities. While abstract details were limited, the study is part of a broader effort to understand how microplastics affect the ecology of the Murray-Darling Basin river system.

2019 OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University)
Article Tier 2

Efficiency of Microalgae Employment in Nutrient Removal (Nitrogen and Phosphorous) from Municipal Wastewater

This review examines how microalgae (tiny aquatic plants) can be used to remove nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants from municipal wastewater. While not directly about microplastics, this research is relevant because effective wastewater treatment is one way to reduce the amount of microplastics that reach waterways and eventually the food chain.

2025 Water 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of the rate of Chlorella vulgaris biofilm on polyvinyl chloride microplastics in aqueous solutions

This study examined how the green algae Chlorella vulgaris forms biofilms on PVC microplastic surfaces in water. The algae colonized the microplastics rapidly, creating a living coating that changed the particles' behavior in the environment. This matters because biofilm-coated microplastics can carry microorganisms through water systems and into the food chain, potentially affecting water treatment and human health.

2025 Results in Engineering 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics removal from water body by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from microalge through surfactants pre-treatment

Researchers explored using extracellular polymeric substances extracted from microalgae — combined with surfactant pretreatment — to remove microplastics from water. The biological approach showed promise as a low-cost and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional filtration methods.

2023 SPIRE - Sciences Po Institutional REpository
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

Microalgae separation in MP-PVC contaminated wastewater using plant-based coagulant over different extraction methods in Bauru, Brazil

Researchers tested Moringa oleifera plant extracts as natural coagulants for removing microalgae and PVC microplastics from photobioreactor wastewater, achieving over 83% turbidity removal and 63% microplastic removal under optimized conditions. Plant-based coagulants are a more sustainable and lower-cost alternative to synthetic chemical flocculants, and this study demonstrates they can handle the combined challenge of microalgae and microplastic removal simultaneously.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 3 citations