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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Extracellular polymeric substances in green alga facilitate microplastic deposition
ClearMicroplastic removal in aquatic systems using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of microalgae
Researchers tested whether extracellular polymeric substances produced by microalgae could remove microplastics from water. Among four microalgae strains tested under stress conditions, Spirulina produced the most polymeric substances and formed the largest aggregates with microplastic particles. The study suggests that microalgae-based bioremediation could offer a sustainable, low-cost approach to reducing microplastic contamination in water sources.
Extracellular polymeric substances from Spirulina sp. for the bioremediation of fishing net–derived microplastics in seawater
Researchers tested whether extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by the microalga Spirulina could remove polyethylene microplastics derived from fishing nets from seawater. The biological substances from Spirulina showed measurable ability to bind and aggregate the plastic particles, suggesting a natural bioremediation approach for marine microplastic pollution. This is relevant because discarded fishing nets are a major and persistent source of microplastics in the ocean.
Functional groups in microalgal extracellular polymeric substances: A promising biopolymer for microplastic mitigation in marine ecosystems
Researchers characterized the sticky, sugar-like substances (extracellular polymeric substances, or EPS) produced by three types of microalgae and found these natural biopolymers could potentially bind and aggregate microplastics in marine environments, pointing toward a nature-based approach to reducing ocean plastic pollution.
Impact of Heterosigma akashiwo on the environmental behavior of microplastics: Aggregation, sinking, and resuspension dynamics
The harmful microalga Heterosigma akashiwo promoted aggregation and sinking of microplastics through extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) rather than direct cell attachment, with aggregation causing low-density PE spheres to sink following a logistic curve—demonstrating how harmful algal blooms can alter microplastic vertical distribution.
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.
Marine vs freshwater microalgae exopolymers as biosolutions to microplastics pollution
Marine and freshwater microalgae were found to produce exopolymer substances that form hetero-aggregates with microplastic particles, suggesting these biological secretions could promote microplastic sedimentation and reduce surface-water concentrations.
Microplastic interactions with freshwater microalgae: Hetero-aggregation and changes in plastic density appear strongly dependent on polymer type
Researchers studied interactions between microplastics and freshwater microalgae, finding that microplastics can physically attach to algal cells to form hetero-aggregates, altering both particle behavior and algal physiology.
Impacts of extracellular polymeric substances on the behaviors of micro/nanoplastics in the water environment
This review examines how extracellular polymeric substances produced by microorganisms interact with micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments. Researchers found that these natural polymers can form coatings on plastic particles that enhance pollutant adsorption and promote sinking, influencing how microplastics are transported, distributed, and ultimately removed from the water column.
Spatial heterogeneity of EPS-mediated microplastic aggregation in phycosphere shapes polymer-specific Trojan horse effects
Researchers investigated how algal communities in water aggregate different types of microplastics through sticky extracellular substances they produce. They found that the binding behavior varied significantly by plastic type and by the layer of the algal colony, with some plastics being captured more effectively than others. The study reveals that these natural aggregation processes can concentrate pollutants on microplastic surfaces, creating a "Trojan horse" effect that increases risks to organisms that consume the clumps.
Bio‐Mediated Flocculation of Freshwater Microplastics: Effects of Microalgae With Exopolymer Attachments
Three freshwater microalgae species with varying levels of transparent exopolymer particle (TEP) production were incubated with microplastics to study bio-mediated flocculation. TEP production significantly increased the flocculation rate of microplastics, with higher TEP levels correlating with faster aggregation and sedimentation.
Polyethylene microplastics increase extracellular polymeric substances production in aerobic granular sludge
Polyethylene microplastics at concentrations of 1-50 mg/L did not impair biological nutrient removal efficiency in aerobic granular sludge but stimulated production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), including alginate, by up to several-fold. The EPS response may represent a defensive microbial adaptation that also affects sludge settling behavior in wastewater treatment.
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.
Environment-driven regulation of EPS secretion and interfacial coupling in microalgae-microplastic hetero-aggregates: Insights from molecular mechanisms to utilization potential
Researchers investigated how different nutrient levels and microplastic types regulate extracellular polymeric substance secretion and aggregation behavior in the microalgae Scenedesmus sp. Using experimental observations and density functional theory simulations, the study revealed molecular mechanisms underlying microalgae-microplastic interactions that influence pollutant transport and ecological risks in aquatic ecosystems.
Interplay between extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from a marine diatom and model nanoplastic through eco-corona formation
Researchers incubated polystyrene nanoplastics with extracellular polymeric substances secreted by a marine diatom and found that these biological molecules rapidly formed an "eco-corona" coating on the nanoparticles, significantly slowing their aggregation and reducing oxidative stress in algae — suggesting that natural organic matter in seawater substantially alters nanoplastic behavior and toxicity.
Interactions between polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics and Spirulina sp. microalgae in aquatic systems
Researchers evaluated interactions between polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics and Spirulina microalgae, finding that microplastics inhibited algal growth and pigment production while Spirulina showed limited ability to degrade the plastic surfaces.
Fluid dynamics and cell‐bound Psl polysaccharide allows microplastic capture, aggregation and subsequent sedimentation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water
Researchers found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa captures and aggregates polystyrene microplastics in water via cell-bound Psl exopolysaccharide, with bacterial motility and fluid flow driving further aggregation and sedimentation of microplastic-bacteria assemblies.
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.
Heterogeneous aggregation between microplastics and microalgae: May provide new insights for microplastics removal
Researchers investigated heterogeneous aggregation between microplastics and various microalgal species, elucidating the formation process and influencing factors, which may provide new insights for developing microplastic removal strategies from aquatic environments.
Interaction of Cyanobacteria with Nanometer and Micron Sized Polystyrene Particles in Marine and Fresh Water
Marine and freshwater cyanobacteria formed aggregates with polystyrene nanoplastics held together by extracellular polymeric substances, causing the particles to sink, with larger and faster aggregation in saltwater. Microplastics produced different-shaped aggregates linked by a small number of particles, neither causing cell death, showing that cyanobacteria can alter nanoplastic fate and distribution in aquatic systems.
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.
Agglomeration of nano- and microplastic particles in seawater by autochthonous and de novo-produced sources of exopolymeric substances
Nano- and microplastic particles in seawater were found to readily form agglomerates with naturally produced exopolymeric substances, altering their surface properties, size, and sinking behavior compared to pristine particles. The study demonstrates that natural organic matter in seawater fundamentally changes how plastic particles behave and interact with marine organisms and sediments.
Role of extracellular polymeric substances in the acute inhibition of activated sludge by polystyrene nanoparticles
Researchers investigated how extracellular polymeric substances — the sticky biofilm matrix produced by bacteria — affected the acute inhibition of activated sludge by microplastics, finding that these substances played a protective role by reducing microplastic toxicity in wastewater treatment systems.
Microalgae colonization of different microplastic polymers in experimental mesocosms across an environmental gradient
Microalgal colonization of five different microplastic polymer types was monitored in freshwater mesocosms across an environmental gradient, finding that polymer type, surface properties, and environmental conditions all influenced the biomass and community composition of epiplastic microalgal biofilms.
An ecotoxicological approach towards the understanding of the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics in the marine environment
This PhD thesis investigated how micro- and nanoplastics affect marine microalgae and associated microbial consortia, examining how extracellular polymeric substances mediate plastic-biota interactions and how these effects cascade to higher trophic levels in marine food webs.