Papers

61,005 results
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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

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

Different effecting mechanisms of two sized polystyrene microplastics on microalgal oxidative stress and photosynthetic responses

Researchers found that 1 micrometer polystyrene microplastics caused more oxidative stress and cell death in marine diatoms, while 0.1 micrometer particles caused greater light shading and pigment decline, revealing distinct size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Physiological responses of the microalga Isochrysis galbana exposed to polystyrene microplastics with different particle sizes

Researchers exposed the marine microalga Isochrysis galbana to polystyrene microplastics of three different sizes and found that smaller particles caused more severe damage. The smallest microplastics inhibited growth, reduced photosynthetic efficiency, and increased oxidative stress more than larger particles. The study highlights that particle size is a critical factor in determining how harmful microplastics are to the base of the marine food chain.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus: Effects of particle size and surface charge

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and surface charges affect the freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus. The study found that smaller 1-micrometer particles caused greater oxidative stress, reduced photosynthetic effectiveness, and decreased membrane integrity compared to larger 12-micrometer particles, with effects being dose-dependent.

2022 Toxicology Reports 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on growth, physiological traits of Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystin production and release

Researchers examined how polystyrene microplastics of various sizes affect the growth and toxin production of the harmful algae Microcystis aeruginosa. They found that microplastics inhibited algal growth at low densities, with the smallest particles causing the greatest inhibition, and also disrupted the algae's antioxidant defense system. Notably, microplastic exposure led to a significant increase in the production of the toxin microcystin-LR, raising concerns about how microplastic pollution could worsen harmful algal blooms.

2025 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
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

Microplastic size-dependent biochemical and molecular effects in alga Heterosigma akashiwo

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics on the harmful algal species Heterosigma akashiwo, finding that 80-nanometer particles were more toxic than 1-micrometer particles. The study showed that smaller nanoplastics at higher concentrations inhibited algal growth and photosynthesis, disrupted antioxidant enzyme activity, and altered gene expression, suggesting size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse physiological and molecular level effects of polystyrene microplastics on freshwater microalgae

Researchers investigated the toxic effects of polystyrene microplastics on the freshwater microalgae Euglena gracilis. The study found that microplastic exposure at 1 mg/L induced vacuole formation within 24 hours and significantly disrupted photosynthesis, with smaller particles (0.1 micrometers) causing more severe cellular damage than larger ones (5 micrometers), suggesting size-dependent toxicity mechanisms.

2020 Chemosphere 164 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics impacts in seven flagellate microalgae: Role of size and cell wall

Seven marine flagellate microalgae species were incubated with 1-micrometer polystyrene microplastics at 10 mg/L, revealing that cell size and the presence of a cell wall strongly influenced the degree of microplastic-induced physiological and growth effects across species.

2021 Environmental Research 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Micrometer scale polystyrene plastics of varying concentrations and particle sizes inhibit growth and upregulate microcystin-related gene expression in Microcystis aeruginosa

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics inhibited the growth of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa in a dose- and size-dependent manner, with smaller particles and higher concentrations causing greater growth suppression. Notably, microplastic exposure also upregulated genes related to microcystin production, suggesting that microplastics could potentially increase the toxicity of harmful algal blooms.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 97 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

The impact of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) on physiological and biochemical parameters of the microalgae Spirulina platensis

Researchers exposed the microalgae Spirulina platensis to polystyrene nanoplastics at three concentrations over 20 days and found dose-dependent reductions in growth rate, dry weight, and photosynthetic pigments alongside increased oxidative stress markers, indicating nanoplastics impair algal physiology even at relatively low exposure levels.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Microcystis aeruginosa copes with toxic effects of micro/nano-plastics with varying particle sizes through different self-regulatory mechanisms

Researchers exposed the freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to polystyrene particles of three different sizes ranging from nanoscale to microscale. All particle sizes harmed the algae, but they triggered different cellular defense mechanisms depending on their size, with nanoparticles causing the most severe damage. The findings reveal that particle size is a key factor in determining how microplastics affect aquatic microorganisms.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanism of transport and toxicity response of Chlorella sorokiniana to polystyrene nanoplastics

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics are transported into freshwater algae cells and what toxic effects they cause. They found that the tiny plastic particles entered the cells through specific pathways and triggered oxidative stress, inhibiting algae growth. The study provides new insights into how nanoplastics disrupt the base of aquatic food chains by damaging microscopic organisms.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 19 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

Unveiling the molecular mechanisms of size-dependent effect of polystyrene micro/nano-plastics on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii through proteomic profiling

Researchers used proteomic profiling to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind how different sizes of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics affect the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. They found that particle size plays a critical role in determining the type and severity of biological responses in the algae. The study suggests that nanoscale plastic particles may pose distinct ecological risks compared to larger microplastics due to their ability to trigger different cellular stress pathways.

2024 Chemosphere 11 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

Effects of Polystyrene Microparticles on Growth and Physiological Metabolism of Microalgae Scendesmus obliquus

Researchers examined the toxic effects of polystyrene microparticles on the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus, finding that exposure inhibited growth and disrupted photosynthesis and antioxidant defense systems in a concentration-dependent manner.

2023 Sustainability 12 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

Toxic Effects of Microplastics on Culture Scenedesmus quadricauda: Interactions between Microplastics and Algae

Researchers found that microplastics from multiple polymer types inhibit growth of the freshwater alga Scenedesmus quadricauda and induce oxidative stress, with toxicity varying by polymer type, particle size, and concentration.

2021 Moscow University Biological Sciences Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics inhibit the growth of endosymbiotic Symbiodinium tridacnidorum by altering photosynthesis and bacterial community

Researchers exposed a type of algae that lives inside coral to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles slowed cell growth and reduced photosynthesis. At higher concentrations, the microplastics clumped together with the algal cells and caused physical damage. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution could harm coral reef ecosystems by disrupting the essential relationship between corals and their symbiotic algae.

2024 Environmental Pollution 5 citations
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

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on growth and hemolysin production of microalgae Karlodinium veneficum

Researchers exposed the harmful algal bloom species Karlodinium veneficum to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that high concentrations significantly inhibited algal growth and caused oxidative damage to cells. The nanoplastics disrupted cell morphology and weakened photosynthesis and energy metabolism in the algae. Notably, while growth was suppressed, the algae produced more hemolysin toxin, suggesting nanoplastic pollution could make harmful algal blooms more toxic.

2023 Aquatic Toxicology 11 citations