Papers

61,005 results
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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
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 Impact of Microalgae and Their Bioactive Compounds on Liver Well-being in Rats Subjected to Synthetic Phenolic Antioxidants

This review examines how microalgae and their bioactive compounds — including polysaccharides, pigments, and polyphenols — protect liver health in animal models, summarizing evidence for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms. The authors note that algal-derived compounds show hepatoprotective effects in rodent studies, though human clinical evidence remains limited.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Veterinary Science
Article Tier 2

Ecotoxicological impact of virgin and environmental microplastics leachate on Chlorella vulgaris: Synergistic microbial-pollutant drivers cripple photosynthesis

Researchers compared the toxic effects of leachate from new versus environmentally weathered microplastics on a common green algae species. They found that weathered microplastics were up to 3.4 times more toxic, severely disrupting photosynthesis and introducing hundreds of bacterial species and pollutants that compounded the damage. The findings highlight that microplastics become significantly more dangerous as they age in the environment.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 2 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

Combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and lead on Chlorella vulgaris growth, membrane lipid peroxidation, antioxidant capacity, and morphological alterations

Researchers found that amino-functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics and lead act synergistically to inhibit the growth of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, with combined exposure producing greater reductions in chlorophyll, biomass, and cell size than either pollutant alone.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 9 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

Co-Exposure to Glyphosate and Polyethylene Microplastic Affects Their Toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris: Implications for Algal Health and Aquatic Risk

Researchers assessed the individual and combined toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and glyphosate to the microalga Chlorella vulgaris in acute and chronic exposures. The combination caused greater toxicity than either contaminant alone, particularly at chronic exposure durations, indicating synergistic effects relevant to agricultural runoff contamination.

2025 Molecules
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Meta-analysis for systematic review of global micro/nano-plastics contamination versus various freshwater microalgae: Toxicological effect patterns, taxon-specific response, and potential eco-risks

A meta-analysis of 1,071 observations found that nanoplastics cause more severe cell membrane damage than microplastics, while microplastics more strongly inhibit photosynthesis in freshwater microalgae. Among polymer types, polyamide caused the highest growth inhibition, polystyrene induced the most toxin release, and diatoms were the most sensitive algal group while cyanobacteria showed exceptional resilience.

2024 Water Research 36 citations
Article Tier 2

The Possible Impact of Spirulina and Chlorella on some Hematological and Biochemical Aspects in Irradiated Rats

Researchers found that oral supplementation of Spirulina platensis or Chlorella vulgaris before and after whole-body gamma irradiation significantly attenuated radiation-induced decreases in red and white blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and platelets, and reduced liver enzyme elevation in male albino rats. The results suggest both microalgae may offer protective effects against radiation-induced hematological and organ damage.

2022 Arab Journal of Nuclear Sciences and Applications 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrated transcriptomics and proteomics analyses reveal the ameliorative effect of hepatic damage in tilapia caused by polystyrene microplastics with chlorella addition

Tilapia fish were exposed to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes, and researchers found that the particles caused liver damage including fat metabolism disruption, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Interestingly, adding the green algae Chlorella to the exposure partially helped reduce the harmful effects, suggesting that natural microorganisms may offer some protective benefit against microplastic toxicity in fish.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Nanoplastics on the Functional Profile of Microalgae Species Used as Food Supplements: Insights from Comparative In Vitro and Ex Vivo Digestion Studies

Researchers assessed how polystyrene and polyethylene nanoplastics affect microalgae species used as food supplements, both before and after simulated digestion. The study found that nanoplastics persisted through the digestion process, altered particle behavior in the microalgae medium, and significantly increased total phenolic content, raising concerns about food safety when plastic contamination occurs.

2024 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2 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

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

Chlorella alleviates the intestinal damage of tilapia caused by microplastics

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics of different sizes affect the intestinal health of tilapia and whether Chlorella algae supplementation could alleviate the damage. They found that microplastics caused intestinal histological changes and disrupted enzyme activities, gene expression, and gut microbiota in the fish. The addition of Chlorella showed potential to mitigate some of the intestinal damage caused by nanoscale microplastic exposure.

2024 Chemosphere 12 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

Influence of microplastics on the toxicity of chlorpyrifos and mercury on the marine microalgae Rhodomonas lens

Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics influence the toxicity of chlorpyrifos and mercury to the marine microalga Rhodomonas lens, finding that microplastics can modify pollutant bioavailability and alter toxic effects depending on particle surface oxidation state.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Protective Effect of Resveratrol on Kidney Disease and Hypertension Against Microplastics Exposure in Male Juvenile Rats

Researchers investigated whether resveratrol, a natural plant compound, could protect young rats from kidney damage and high blood pressure caused by microplastic exposure. They found that microplastics elevated blood pressure and creatinine levels through oxidative stress, and that resveratrol treatment effectively prevented these effects. The study suggests resveratrol may offer protective benefits against organ damage linked to microplastic exposure, partly by improving gut microbiota balance.

2024 Antioxidants 5 citations
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

Polyethylene microplastics disrupt renal function, mitochondrial bioenergetics, redox homeostasis, and histoarchitecture in Wistar rats

Researchers gave rats polyethylene microplastics orally for 28 days and found dose-dependent kidney damage, including impaired filtration, electrolyte imbalances, and tissue inflammation. The microplastics depleted antioxidant defenses, increased oxidative stress markers, and disrupted mitochondrial energy production in kidney cells, identifying the kidneys as a critical target of microplastic toxicity.

2025 Scientific Reports 2 citations
Article Tier 2

The aging of microplastics exacerbates the damage to photosynthetic performance and bioenergy production in microalgae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa)

Researchers found that aged microplastics are significantly more toxic to freshwater algae than new microplastics, inhibiting growth by up to 45% and causing greater damage to photosynthesis and energy production. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, this heightened toxicity from weathered microplastics could cascade through ecosystems and ultimately affect the safety of freshwater resources that humans depend on.

2024 Water Research 48 citations
Article Tier 2

Syringodium isoetifolium Fosters an Antioxidant Defense System, Modulates Glycolytic Enzymes and Protects Membrane Integrity in DEN-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Albino Wistar Rats

This paper is not about microplastics; it investigates the anti-cancer properties of Syringodium isoetifolium seagrass extract in a rat model of liver cancer, finding reduced tumor growth and restored liver tissue architecture.

2023 Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of Chlorella vulgaris Bioremediation and Selenium on Genotoxicity, Nephrotoxicity and Oxidative/Antioxidant Imbalance Induced by Polystyrene Nanoplastics in African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics caused DNA damage, kidney injury, and oxidative stress in African catfish. The study suggests that treatment with the green algae Chlorella vulgaris and the mineral selenium helped reduce these harmful effects, pointing to potential protective strategies against nanoplastic toxicity in aquaculture.

2024 Preprints.org 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetical effect of microplastics and chiral drug amphetamine on a primary food source algae Chlorella pyrenoids

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics increased the toxicity of the illicit drug amphetamine to freshwater algae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa), impairing cell growth and photosynthetic pigment content beyond the effects of the drug alone. Microplastics reduced cell counts through agglomeration and shading effects and also altered the enantioselective fate of the chiral drug.

2022 Food and Chemical Toxicology 14 citations