Papers

61,005 results
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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
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 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.

2016 Environmental Pollution 704 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Do plastic particles affect microalgal photosynthesis and growth?

This study investigated whether polystyrene particles of different sizes and charges affect growth and photosynthesis in three marine microalgae species. The results showed that charged particles caused greater inhibition of algal growth at the lowest concentrations tested, suggesting that plastic particle charge and size influence their toxicity to primary producers at the base of marine food chains.

2016 Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
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 different concentrations and particle sizes of microplastics on the full life history of freshwater Chlorella

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different concentrations and particle sizes affect the complete life cycle of freshwater Chlorella algae. The study found that microplastics can inhibit algal growth by up to 68%, while also altering chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity, indicating that microplastic pollution may pose significant risks to the base of aquatic food webs.

2024 Environmental Pollution 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Behavior and surface properties of microalgae indicate environmental changes

Not relevant to microplastics — this microcosm study examines how temperature and salinity stress affect the behavior, growth, and surface properties of three marine microalgal species.

2023 Journal of Applied Phycology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

The role of microplastics in microalgae cells aggregation: A study at the molecular scale using atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy was used at the molecular scale to study how microplastics interact with microalgae cells and affect their aggregation, finding that plastic particles altered cell surface properties and promoted clumping. The results suggest that microplastics can disrupt the normal behavior of primary producers at the base of aquatic food chains.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 67 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

The effects and mechanisms of polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate with different sizes and concentrations on Gymnodinium aeruginosum

Researchers exposed the microalga Gymnodinium aeruginosum to polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate microplastics of different sizes and concentrations, finding that smaller particles and higher concentrations caused greater oxidative stress and growth inhibition. The study revealed that microplastics can physically adhere to and damage algal cell membranes, disrupting cellular structure and function.

2021 Environmental Pollution 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Differential physiological response of marine and freshwater microalgae to polystyrene microplastics

Researchers compared how polystyrene microplastics affect marine versus freshwater algae species and found that freshwater algae were more severely harmed. While both types showed reduced photosynthesis and increased stress responses, marine algae recovered better over time, possibly due to differences in their cell membranes and ability to handle oxidative damage. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, greater damage to freshwater species could have cascading effects on the ecosystems that supply human drinking water and freshwater fish.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastic and seawater acidification on unicellular red algae: Growth response, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzymes, and extracellular polymer substances

Researchers examined the individual and combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and seawater acidification on unicellular red algae, which play an important role in marine primary production. They measured impacts on growth, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and extracellular polymer production. The study found that the combined stressors had more pronounced effects than either one alone, suggesting that ocean acidification may worsen the ecological impact of microplastic pollution on marine algae.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 14 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

Interactions between polystyrene microplastics and marine phytoplankton lead to species-specific hetero-aggregation

Laboratory experiments showed that polystyrene microplastics interact with marine phytoplankton cells, forming aggregates that alter the behavior and sinking rate of both the plastics and the algae. This aggregation could affect how microplastics are transported through the water column and how much phytoplankton productivity is disrupted in polluted waters.

2017 Environmental Pollution 384 citations
Article Tier 2

Uptake and effects of microplastic particles in selected marine microalgae species; Oxyrrhis marina and Rhodomonas baltica

Researchers investigated the uptake and effects of polystyrene microbeads in two marine microalgae species, finding that the dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina ingested both 10 µm and 1-5 µm particles, while Rhodomonas baltica showed interactions with PS microbeads across a 264-hour exposure period.

2017 BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) 18 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

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.

2021 Global Change Biology 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Size-dependent cellular internalization and effects of polystyrene microplastics in microalgae P. helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis and S. quadricauda

Researchers investigated whether polystyrene microplastics of different sizes could be internalized by marine and freshwater microalgae cells. Using confocal laser scanning and 3D image analysis, the study found size-dependent cellular uptake, with smaller microbeads more readily internalized, suggesting that microplastic size is a critical factor in their biological interactions with phytoplankton.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 143 citations
Article Tier 2

A multi-factor analysis evaluating the toxicity of microplastics on algal growth

This meta-analysis evaluated how microplastic characteristics such as polymer type, size, shape, and concentration influence algal growth, finding that effects range from inhibition to enhancement depending on multiple interacting factors.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 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

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

Toxic effects of microplastic on marine microalgae Skeletonema costatum: Interactions between microplastic and algae

Researchers found that micrometer-sized PVC microplastics significantly inhibit the growth and photosynthesis of the marine microalga Skeletonema costatum — reaching up to 39.7% growth inhibition — primarily through direct physical adsorption and aggregation between particles and algal cells rather than by shading effects alone.

2016 Environmental Pollution 823 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of polystyrene microplastics on the growth, photosynthetic efficiency and aggregation of freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Polystyrene microplastics at concentrations of 5–100 mg/L inhibited the growth and photosynthetic efficiency of the freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and promoted cell aggregation at higher concentrations, with effects scaling with dose.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 381 citations