The toxic effects of petroleum pollutants to microalgae in marine environment

Marine oil pollution is one of the major global environmental pollution problems. Marine microalgae are the foundation of the marine food chain, providing the main primary productivity of the ocean. They not only maintain the energy flow and material cycle of the entire marine ecosystem, but also play an important role in regulating global climate change. Exploring the impact of petroleum pollutants on marine microalgae is extremely important for studying marine environmental pollution. This review first introduced the sources, compositions, and forms of petroleum pollutants and their migration and transformation processes in the ocean. Then, the toxic effects of petroleum pollutants on marine microalgae were summarized. The growth of marine microalgae showed low-concentration promotion and high-concentration inhibition. The population growth and interspecific relationships of marine microalga was changed and the photosynthesis of marine microalgae was influenced. Finally, potential research directions and suggestions for marine microalgae in the future were proposed.