Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Photosynthetic Impairment in Navicula sp. at Physiological and Transcriptomic Levels

The rising concentration of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments poses increasing ecological risks, yet their impacts on biological communities remain largely unrevealed. This study investigated how aminopolystyrene microplastics (PS-NH₂) affect physiology and gene expression using the freshwater alga Navicula sp. as the test species. After exposing Navicula sp. to high PS-NH₂ concentrations for 24 h, growth was inhibited, with the most significant effect seen after 48 h. Increasing PS-NH₂ concentrations reduced chlorophyll content, maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm), and the photochemical quenching coefficient (Qp), while the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) increased, indicating a substantial impact on photosynthesis. PS-NH₂ exposure, damaged cell membrane microstructures, activated antioxidant enzymes, and significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PS-NH₂ also affected the gene expression of Navicula sp. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are mainly related to porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, carbon fixation in photosynthesis, endocytosis, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed significant interactions among DEGs, particularly within photosystem II. These findings shed insights into the toxic mechanisms and environmental implications of microplastic interactions with phytoplankton, deepening our understanding of the potential adverse effects of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems.