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Micro- and nanoplastics interact with conventional pollutants on microalgae: Synthesis through meta-analysis
Jingke Ge1, Peng Jin2, Shuyu Xie1
1State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science & College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|December 10, 2023
Summary
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) interact with pollutants (Po) in aquatic environments. MNPs often reduce pollutant toxicity to microalgae, especially larger, aged particles, impacting marine and freshwater ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Aquatic Ecology
Background:
- Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are pervasive aquatic contaminants alongside conventional pollutants (Po).
- Limited understanding exists regarding the interactive effects of MNPs and Po on aquatic primary producers like microalgae.
Approach:
- A quantitative meta-analysis synthesized data from 933 experimental assessments across 44 studies.
- Examined the coupled effects of MNPs and Po on microalgae's physiological performance.
Key Points:
- Overall physiological performance showed predominantly additive interactions (56%) by frequency, but antagonistic effects dominated by mean effect size.
- Antagonistic interactions were more frequent in marine species than freshwater species.
- Antagonism was significant for growth, oxidative stress, and photosynthesis, linked to MNP adsorption of pollutants.
Conclusions:
- MNP characteristics (size, charge, age) influence their adsorption capacity and subsequent interaction with pollutants.
- Larger, aged, negatively charged or neutral MNPs exhibited greater pollutant adsorption, leading to more antagonistic effects.
- This meta-analysis offers a comprehensive view of MNP-Po interactions on microalgae, crucial for aquatic ecosystem health assessments.
