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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Impact of facemask debris on marine diatoms: Physiology, surface properties, sinking rate, and copepod ingestion
ClearProducts released from surgical face masks can provoke cytotoxicity in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Researchers found that fragments from surgical face masks release polypropylene microfibers and dissolved metals (including manganese, zinc, and nickel) into seawater, and that water exposed to these fragments reduced the growth of marine diatoms (single-celled algae) by over 53%. This study highlights that COVID-19 pandemic mask waste poses a real chemical and microplastic threat to marine ecosystems.
Unmasking effects of masks: Microplastics released from disposable surgical face masks induce toxic effects in microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorella sp.
Researchers found that microplastics released from disposable surgical face masks induced toxic effects in two microalgae species, with the outer mask layer releasing the most particles and causing measurable harm to algal growth and photosynthesis.
Release of Microplastics from Discarded Surgical Masks and Their Adverse Impacts on the Marine Copepod Tigriopus japonicus
Researchers investigated how discarded surgical masks break down in seawater and release microplastics, then tested the effects of those particles on a marine copepod species. They found that masks shed increasing amounts of microplastics over time and that chronic exposure to these particles reduced copepod survival and reproductive success. The study highlights pandemic-related plastic waste as a growing source of marine microplastic pollution with measurable ecological consequences.
Effects of Biofouling on the Properties and Sinking Behavior of Disposable Face Masks in Seawater: A Systematic Comparison with Microplastic Films and Particles
A 16-week seawater incubation showed that disposable face masks accumulated biofilm at roughly ten times the rate of microplastic films or particles, causing the masks to eventually sink rather than float at the surface. This demonstrates that mask-derived microplastic fibers are rapidly transferred to the seafloor, where their ecological impacts and persistence may be far greater than previously assumed.
Toxicity due to release of microplastic fibres from disposable face masks on marine diatom Chaetoceros sp. and the role of EPS in combating the toxic effects
Researchers studied the toxicity of leachate from disposable face masks on the marine diatom Chaetoceros sp., finding that toxicity increased with longer degradation time. The 21-day mask leachate was the most harmful, with reactive oxygen species production identified as a key toxicity mechanism, while heavy metals were also detected in the leachate. The study found that extracellular polymeric substances produced by the diatoms helped reduce the toxic effects, highlighting a natural defense mechanism against microplastic-related pollution.
Nanoplastics reshape lipid metabolism in marine microalgae with potential ecological consequence
Researchers exposed a marine microalga important to ocean ecosystems to nanoplastics and found significant disruptions to its lipid metabolism, reducing both biomass and lipid production. The nanoplastics altered the types of fats the algae produced, potentially affecting the nutritional value of these organisms for the marine food web. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution could have cascading ecological consequences by disrupting carbon cycling at the base of the food chain.
Unveiling the toxic release: kinetics and comparative effects of microplastic fibers, organic, and metal leachates from disposable surgical face masks on two aquatic trophic levels: algae and crustaceans
Researchers tested what leaches out of disposable surgical face masks into water over time, then exposed algae and brine shrimp to those leachates. The masks released polypropylene microplastic fibers, phthalate chemicals, and trace metals; the microplastic fibers caused the most harm — reducing algae viability, increasing oxidative stress, and raising mortality in shrimp — highlighting disposable masks as an underappreciated source of microplastic pollution.
Effects of Discarded Masks on the Offshore Microorganisms during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Discarded COVID-19 masks released microplastics into seawater, and researchers profiled how these particles interact with offshore marine microorganisms. The microplastics altered microbial community composition and affected biofilm formation on the plastic surfaces. These findings highlight pandemic-related plastic waste as a source of microplastic pollution that disrupts marine microbial ecosystems.
Persistence and Recovery of Polystyrene and Polymethyl Methacrylate Microplastic Toxicity on Diatoms
Researchers tested whether the toxic effects of polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics on marine diatoms persist after the plastic particles are removed. They found that both types of microplastics inhibited algal growth, increased oxidative stress, and caused structural damage, with some effects lingering even after a recovery period. The study suggests that even temporary microplastic exposure can cause lasting harm to the tiny algae that produce nearly 40% of the ocean's oxygen.
Effects of masks on marine animals
Discarded COVID-19 face masks entering the ocean pose multiple threats to marine life, including entanglement, ingestion, and fragmentation into microplastic fibres. The paper outlines the scale of the problem and proposes policy and individual-behaviour responses, underscoring how pandemic-era single-use plastic waste created a new and rapid source of marine microplastic contamination.
Uptake and Effects of Nanoplastics on the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium corollarium
This study exposed the marine dinoflagellate Gymnodinium corollarium to nanoplastics and found that, although the organism can ingest particles via phagotrophy, nanoplastic uptake disrupted cell growth and photosynthesis, highlighting the vulnerability of unicellular marine organisms to nanoplastic pollution.
Investigating the Molecular Response of Skeletonema marinoi to Polyethylene Nano/Microplastics: Insights into Stress Genes, Inflammation, and Extracellular Polymeric Substance Production
Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi to polyethylene nano- and microplastics and found that, despite no significant effect on growth, the particles triggered oxidative stress responses, inflammatory-like gene expression, and activation of programmed cell death pathways. The study suggests that even when diatoms appear resilient on the surface, microplastics may cause subtle molecular disruptions that could affect bloom dynamics and carbon cycling in the ocean.
Impact of polystyrene nanoparticles on marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi chain assemblages and consequences on their ecological role in marine ecosystems
Researchers exposed the marine diatom Skeletonema marinoi to polystyrene nanoparticles and observed increased oxidative stress, reduced chain length, and nanoplastic aggregation at the diatom's silica pores, raising concern that nanoplastic interference with diatom chain formation could impair the biological carbon pump that sequesters atmospheric CO2 in deep ocean sediments.
Differential impact of planktonic and periphytic diatoms on aggregation and sinking of microplastics in a simulated marine environment
Researchers compared how two types of diatoms interact with microplastics in a simulated marine environment. They found that the surface-dwelling diatom Navicula formed aggregates with all tested microplastics within one week, while the free-floating diatom only formed aggregates with polyethylene spheres after nine weeks. The study suggests that different types of marine algae play very different roles in determining how quickly microplastics sink to the ocean floor.
Impact of disposable mask microplastics pollution on the aquatic environment and microalgae growth
Researchers investigated how discarded disposable face masks release microplastics into freshwater environments over a three-month period. They found that mask materials shed microplastic fibers that degraded water quality and negatively affected the growth of Chlorella microalgae. The study highlights that improperly disposed pandemic-related mask waste is a meaningful source of microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems.
Response of Coral Reef Dinoflagellates to Nanoplastics under Experimental Conditions Suggests Downregulation of Cellular Metabolism
Coral reef dinoflagellates were exposed to nanoplastics under controlled laboratory conditions to examine effects on cell growth, aggregation, and physiology. The study found that nanoplastic exposure altered dinoflagellate behavior and cellular responses, with implications for reef symbiotic relationships that depend on algal health.
Potential of Freshwater Microalgae in Biodegradation of Disposable Face Masks
Researchers investigated whether freshwater microalgae could biodegrade disposable face masks — a major source of pandemic plastic waste — measuring plastic weight loss and surface degradation under algal cultures. Selected algal species showed measurable degradation of mask fibers, suggesting a biological treatment pathway.
Physiological responses and molecular mechanism of Chlorella sorokiniana to surgical mask exudates in wastewater
Researchers studied how chemical compounds leaching from surgical masks in wastewater affect the growth of the microalga Chlorella sorokiniana. They found that even at environmentally realistic concentrations, surgical mask exudates inhibited algal growth by disrupting photosynthesis and causing oxidative stress. The study highlights an overlooked consequence of pandemic-related plastic waste on wastewater treatment systems that rely on microalgae.
Response of coral reef dinoflagellates to nanoplastics under experimental conditions
Researchers exposed symbiotic dinoflagellates from coral reefs to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that cell growth and aggregation were significantly reduced after 10 days. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution could harm the tiny algae that are essential to coral reef health, with potential consequences for reef ecosystems.
The COVID-19 pandemic face mask waste: A blooming threat to the marine environment.
This review examines how single-use face masks — billions of which were discarded during the COVID-19 pandemic — contribute to microplastic and microfiber pollution in marine environments when improperly disposed of. The pandemic created a massive new source of plastic pollution, with masks breaking down into microplastics and releasing chemical contaminants in the ocean.
Effects of microplastics on coastal planktonic community
This book chapter reviews how microplastics affect coastal phytoplankton communities, covering physical clogging, chemical toxicity, and disruption of photosynthesis and cell division across diatoms, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria. Since phytoplankton form the base of marine food webs and produce roughly half of Earth's oxygen, widespread microplastic-driven decline in these communities would have cascading consequences for ocean ecosystems and global climate.
Nanoplastics exposure modulate lipid and pigment compositions in diatoms
Researchers exposed marine diatoms (Chaetoceros neogracile) to amine-functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics and found disruption to photosynthetic pigments and membrane lipid composition, with exponential-phase cells showing impaired long-chain fatty acid synthesis at high concentrations — identifying lipid and pigment profiles as sensitive biomarkers for nanoplastic stress in marine primary producers.
Heterotrophic Dinoflagellate Growth and Grazing Rates Reduced by Microplastic Ingestion
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastic ingestion significantly reduced the growth and grazing rates of heterotrophic dinoflagellates, suggesting that microplastic pollution could disrupt marine microbial food webs at the single-celled predator level.
Cell size matters: nano- and micro-plastics preferentially drive declines of large marine phytoplankton due to co-aggregation
Nano- and microplastics aggregated preferentially with large marine phytoplankton, causing them to sink faster and reducing their abundance relative to small cells. This selective removal could disrupt marine food webs and reduce the ocean's ability to absorb carbon.