Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Physiological responses and altered halocarbon production in Phaeodactylum tricornutum after exposure to polystyrene microplastics

Exposure to microplastics altered physiological responses and halocarbon production in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, with implications for oceanic emissions of ozone-depleting brominated substances.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 3 citations
Article Tier 2

[Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics on Growth and Halocarbon Release of Marine Microalgae].

Lab experiments showed that polyethylene microplastics affected two species of marine microalgae differently, inhibiting growth of one while promoting growth of the other. Microplastic stress also increased production of reactive oxygen species and altered the release of volatile halocarbons, trace gases important for climate and ozone chemistry.

2023 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics alter plankton community and enhance greenhouse gas emissions: A case study in the China coastal sea

Researchers demonstrated through ship-based and laboratory experiments that polystyrene microplastics suppress phytoplankton growth by up to 82 percent and increase dissolved organic carbon accumulation in coastal seawater. The microplastics restructured plankton communities and enhanced the production of brominated volatile halocarbons, which are ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases. The study suggests that microplastic pollution in coastal waters may have cascading effects on marine carbon cycling and atmospheric chemistry.

2025 Water Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effects of microplastics and warming enhance algal carbon and nitrogen storage

Researchers examined the combined effects of warming temperatures and polystyrene microplastics on the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. While warming alone decreased cell viability, the combination of microplastics and warming unexpectedly increased growth rate and nitrogen uptake by promoting fatty acid metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution combined with marine heatwaves may alter algal carbon and nitrogen cycling in ways that could have broader ecological implications.

2023 Water Research 60 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

Decreased Dimethylsulfideand Increased PolybrominatedMethanes: Potential Climate Effects of Microplastic Pollution in AcidifiedOcean

Researchers conducted a ship-based microcosm experiment to investigate how combined microplastic pollution and ocean acidification affect biogenic climate-active gases, finding decreased dimethylsulfide and increased polybrominated methanes, with potential implications for marine climate regulation.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Environmentally relevant concentrations and sizes of microplastic do not impede marine diatom growth

The marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum showed no growth inhibition when exposed to virgin polyethylene microplastics across a realistic size frequency distribution and up to 499 mg/L concentration, suggesting that environmentally relevant MP concentrations do not directly impede marine phytoplankton growth.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the extracellular and intracellular dissolved organic matter released by Skeletonema costatum using a novel in situ method

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect the dissolved organic matter released by the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum. They found that microplastic exposure altered both the quantity and chemical composition of organic compounds released by the algae, which could in turn influence how other contaminants behave in seawater. The study reveals an indirect pathway through which microplastics may affect marine chemistry and pollutant cycling.

2024 Environmental Pollution 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of polystyrene plastics on the toxicity of triphenyltin to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum—influence of plastic particle size

The presence of polystyrene particles of different sizes was found to modify the toxicity of triphenyltin (a toxic organotin compound) to the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum, with effects depending on whether the plastic particles increased or decreased the bioavailability of the chemical. The study illustrates how microplastics can alter the toxicity of co-occurring chemical pollutants to sensitive marine microalgae.

2019 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 40 citations
Article Tier 2

The interactions between microplastic polyvinyl chloride and marine diatoms: Physiological, morphological, and growth effects

Researchers investigated the toxic effects of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics on three marine diatom species, finding that increasing PVC concentrations and exposure times disrupted photosynthetic efficiency and reduced cell density in Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Chaetoceros gracilis, and Thalassiosira sp.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 101 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and metabolic toxicity of polystyrene microplastics to Dunaliella salina

Researchers studied the physiological and metabolic effects of polystyrene microplastics on the marine microalga Dunaliella salina. They found that both pristine and aged microplastics inhibited growth, increased reactive oxygen species production by up to 2.2-fold, and caused significant membrane lipid damage. Metabolomic analysis revealed that the microplastics disrupted amino acid metabolism and energy transport pathways, ultimately inhibiting cell division.

2022 Environmental Pollution 54 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Toxics 4 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

Interactive effects of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microplastics and salinity variation on a marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Researchers found that PMMA microplastics combined with salinity stress had interactive toxic effects on the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, with combined stressors causing greater growth inhibition and oxidative damage than either factor alone.

2021 Chemosphere 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics exposure on ingestion, fecundity, development, and dimethylsulfide production in Tigriopus japonicus (Harpacticoida, copepod)

Researchers tested how polyethylene and nylon-6 microplastics affect the copepod Tigriopus japonicus, finding that microplastic exposure reduced feeding and reproductive output and suppressed the production of the climate-relevant gas dimethylsulfide during copepod grazing.

2020 Environmental Pollution 77 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of polystyrene microplastics on the growth and photosynthetic efficiency of diatom Chaetoceros neogracile

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics significantly reduced the growth and photosynthetic ability of the diatom Chaetoceros neogracile, an important part of the ocean food web. Higher concentrations of microplastics caused more damage, decreasing the algae's ability to produce energy from light. Since diatoms are a foundational food source in the ocean, this disruption could ripple through the food chain and ultimately affect the quality of seafood that reaches people's plates.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Decreased Dimethylsulfideand Increased PolybrominatedMethanes: Potential Climate Effects of Microplastic Pollution in AcidifiedOcean

Researchers conducted a ship-based microcosm experiment examining the combined effects of microplastic pollution and ocean acidification on short-lived biogenic climate-active gases, finding that these stressors together decreased dimethylsulfide while increasing polybrominated methanes, suggesting novel climate feedback pathways.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene and triphenyl phosphate on growth, photosynthesis and oxidative stress of Chaetoceros meülleri

Researchers studied the single and combined toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and the flame retardant triphenyl phosphate on the marine diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. Both pollutants individually inhibited cell growth and increased oxidative stress, while their combined exposure produced interactive effects on photosynthesis and cell membrane integrity. The study suggests that microplastics and their associated chemical additives can jointly impact the health of marine microalgae at the base of the food web.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological and genetic responses of the benthic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum lima to polystyrene microplastics

Researchers exposed the toxic bottom-dwelling marine algae Prorocentrum lima to polystyrene microplastics and observed significant effects on its growth and gene expression. The microplastics reduced algal growth rates and triggered changes in genes related to photosynthesis, stress response, and toxin production. The study suggests that microplastic pollution on the ocean floor could alter the behavior of toxin-producing algae, potentially affecting marine food safety.

2024 Harmful Algae 9 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

Polystyrene nanoplastics cause growth inhibition, morphological damage and physiological disturbance in the marine microalga Platymonas helgolandica

Researchers exposed marine green microalgae to polystyrene nanoplastics and found significant growth inhibition, increased membrane permeability, disrupted photosynthesis, and visible morphological damage — including surface fragmentation and cellular rupture — at concentrations as low as 200 µg/L.

2020 Marine Pollution Bulletin 128 citations
Article Tier 2

Decreased Dimethylsulfide and Increased Polybrominated Methanes: Potential Climate Effects of Microplastic Pollution in Acidified Ocean

A ship-based microcosm experiment simulating ocean acidification and microplastic pollution found that combined conditions decreased dimethylsulfide production and increased polybrominated methane emissions, with potential climate-active gas implications for ocean carbon cycling.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of micro- and nano-plastics on growth, antioxidant system, DMS, and DMSP production in Emiliania huxleyi

Researchers exposed a key ocean-dwelling algae species to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics and found that both sizes impaired growth and triggered oxidative stress. The nanoplastics were more harmful than microplastics, reducing chlorophyll content and altering the production of climate-relevant sulfur compounds. The study suggests that plastic pollution could disrupt ocean algae that play an important role in regulating atmospheric chemistry and climate.

2024 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics increase microbial release of marine Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter in microcosm experiments

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics increased microbial release of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in marine microcosm experiments, suggesting that microplastics can alter microbial community dynamics and influence the optical properties and carbon cycling of marine waters.

2018 Scientific Reports 94 citations