Papers

61,005 results
|
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
Article Tier 2

Interactive effects of selected pharmaceutical products (metronidazole, diclofenac, ibuprofen) and differently functionalized nanoplastics on marine algae Chlorella sp.

The combined toxicity of three pharmaceutical products (metronidazole, diclofenac, ibuprofen) and polystyrene nanoplastics with different surface functionalization (NH2 and COOH) was tested on marine algae Chlorella sp. Polystyrene nanoplastics at 1 mg/L caused substantial growth inhibition, while combining pharmaceuticals with nanoplastics reduced rather than amplified toxicity.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Antagonistic effect of polystyrene nanoplastics and sliver nanoparticles on Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Researchers tested antagonistic interactions between polystyrene nanoplastics and silver nanoparticles on the freshwater green alga Chlorella, finding that combined exposure produced less toxicity than either agent alone, suggesting that plastic particles can sequester silver nanoparticles and reduce their bioavailability.

2025 Journal of Environmental Sciences
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics alter the ecotoxicological effects of diclofenac on freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus

Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to modify the ecotoxicological effects of the pharmaceutical diclofenac on freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, with the combined exposure producing effects different from either pollutant alone.

2023 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactive toxicity effects of metronidazole, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and differently functionalized nanoplastics on marine algae Chlorella sp.

Researchers examined the combined toxicity of common pharmaceutical drugs and nanoplastics with different surface coatings on marine algae. They found that the interaction between drugs and nanoplastics produced effects ranging from additive to synergistic, depending on the specific combination, with amine-coated nanoplastics generally causing more harm. The study highlights that real-world mixtures of pharmaceutical and plastic pollutants in oceans may pose greater risks to marine life than either contaminant alone.

2025 Environmental Science Processes & Impacts 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Low-concentration PVC microplastics alleviate the physiological toxicity of nortriptyline to Chlorella vulgaris and enhance its drug removal capacity

Low-concentration PVC microplastics were found to unexpectedly reduce the toxicity of the antidepressant nortriptyline to the green alga Chlorella vulgaris, while simultaneously enhancing the alga's ability to remove the drug from solution, suggesting complex interaction effects.

2025 Environmental Engineering Research
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

Accumulation of chiral pharmaceuticals (ofloxacin or levofloxacin) onto polyethylene microplastics from aqueous solutions

Researchers investigated how chiral pharmaceuticals ofloxacin and levofloxacin accumulate on polyethylene microplastics, finding enantioselective adsorption behavior that could influence the environmental fate and biological activity of these drugs in aquatic systems.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 21 citations
Article Tier 2

The influence of microplastics on the toxic effects and biodegradation of bisphenol A in the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics inhibited the biodegradation of bisphenol A (BPA) by the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, with combined exposure showing greater toxicity than either contaminant alone due to BPA adsorption onto microplastic surfaces.

2022 Research Square (Research Square) 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent effect of microplastics on toxicity and fate of diclofenac in two algae

This study investigated how different sizes of polystyrene microplastics affect two species of algae and interact with the common pharmaceutical pollutant diclofenac. Researchers found that the smallest microplastics caused the most significant growth inhibition in algae, and the combined presence of microplastics and diclofenac could alter how each pollutant behaves. The findings underscore how microplastics can change the toxicity and environmental fate of other water contaminants.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics attenuated the impact of perfluorobutanoic acid on Chlorella sorokiniana: Hetero-aggregation, bioavailability, physiology, and transcriptomics

Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with PFBA (a type of forever chemical) when both are present around green algae. Surprisingly, the microplastics actually reduced the toxic effects of PFBA on the algae by binding to the chemical and making it less available, showing that pollutant interactions in the environment can be more complex than expected.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-corona formation lessens the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics towards marine microalgae Chlorella sp.

Researchers studied how eco-corona formation, the adsorption of algal exudates onto nanoplastic surfaces, affects the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to the marine microalga Chlorella sp. The study found that eco-corona formation reduced the toxic effects of nanoplastics, suggesting that natural organic matter in marine environments may partially mitigate nanoplastic toxicity to algae.

2020 Environmental Research 131 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparison of the effects of continuous and accumulative exposure to nanoplastics on microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa during chronic toxicity

Researchers compared the effects of continuous versus accumulative exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics on the freshwater microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The study found that accumulative exposure, which better simulates real-world conditions of increasing environmental concentrations, produced different toxicity patterns than continuous exposure, highlighting the importance of exposure design in nanoplastic toxicity research.

2021 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Chiral pharmaceutical drug adsorption to natural and synthetic particulates in water and their desorption in simulated gastric fluid

Researchers investigated how microplastics and bioplastics in water adsorb the chiral pharmaceutical drugs fluoxetine and propranolol, finding that while fluoxetine adsorbed to all particle types, no enantioselectivity was observed, and that adsorption was significantly greater in real environmental water matrices than in laboratory buffer solutions.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined toxicity effect of nanoplastics and glyphosate on Microcystis aeruginosa growth

Researchers found that cationic nanoplastics adsorb glyphosate so strongly that co-exposure actually reduces the herbicide's toxicity to algae by sequestering it — but the nanoplastics coated in glyphosate adhere more readily to algal surfaces, potentially concentrating both pollutants further up the food chain.

2018 Environmental Pollution 271 citations
Article Tier 2

Integrating transcriptomics and biochemical analysis to understand the interactive mechanisms of the coexisting exposure of nanoplastics and erythromycin on Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Researchers used transcriptomics and biochemical analysis to study how nanoplastics and the antibiotic erythromycin interact when both are present in water with the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. They found that the combined toxicity was dynamic, shifting from synergistic to antagonistic effects depending on nanoplastic concentration and exposure duration. The study indicates that co-exposure disrupts algal cell membranes, induces oxidative stress, and reduces photosynthetic efficiency.

2023 Chemosphere 11 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 of algal toxicity induced by polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations

Researchers studied whether the harmful effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on marine algae are temporary or long-lasting. They found that while some damage, like oxidative stress, was reversible after exposure ended, other effects such as increased cell membrane damage persisted. The study suggests that even at low, environmentally realistic concentrations, nanoplastics can cause lasting disruption to algal metabolism and cell function.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics and their combined effects with sulphamethoxazole on the free-floating aquatic plant Lemna major

Researchers examined the combined effects of nanoplastics and the antibiotic sulphamethoxazole on free-floating algae, assessing whether nanoplastics alter antibiotic toxicity. The co-exposure produced greater inhibitory effects on algal growth than either substance alone.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

The role of algal EPS in reducing the combined toxicity of BPA and polystyrene nanoparticles to the freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus

Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics and the industrial chemical BPA affect freshwater algae when combined, and whether the algae's own protective secretions could reduce the damage. Carboxylated nanoplastics were the most toxic form, and the algae's natural exopolymeric substances helped buffer the combined toxicity. The findings suggest that biological interactions in real waterways may partially mitigate some harmful effects of nanoplastic pollution.

2023 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 42 citations
Article Tier 2

The combined toxicity influence of microplastics and nonylphenol on microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Researchers examined the combined toxicity of nonylphenol and several types of microplastics on the freshwater microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The study found that microplastics of different polymer types and sizes interacted with nonylphenol in complex ways, affecting algal growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidant enzyme activity, demonstrating that co-exposure to microplastics and organic pollutants can produce combined toxic effects.

2020 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 252 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-specific mediation of the physiological responses and degradation ability of microalgae to sulfamerazine by microplastics

Researchers examined how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes affect the ability of marine microalgae to tolerate and break down the antibiotic sulfamerazine. They found that nano-sized plastics were more harmful than larger particles, reducing algal growth and impairing the organisms' ability to degrade the antibiotic. The study reveals that microplastic pollution could interfere with the natural biological breakdown of pharmaceutical contaminants in waterways.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics amplify ARG colonization and Alter microbial communities in the phycosphere of Chlorella pyrenoidosa under antibiotic stress

Researchers studied how nanoplastics combined with antibiotics affect the bacterial communities surrounding the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. They found that while nanoplastics alone had minimal effects on algal growth, the combination with antibiotics significantly increased toxicity and amplified the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution in waterways may worsen the spread of antibiotic resistance, which has implications for both ecosystem and human health.

2025 Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of nanoplastics and microplastics on the availability of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in aqueous environment

Researchers found that nanoplastics and microplastics can sorb pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water, with smaller nanoplastics showing 1-2 orders of magnitude stronger sorption than microplastics, potentially reducing the bioavailability of these contaminants in aquatic environments.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 31 citations