Impact of polystyrene microplastics on the growth and photosynthetic efficiency of diatom Chaetoceros neogracile

Mojiri A 1 , Vishkaei MN 2 , Zhou JL 3 , Trzcinski AP 4 , Lou Z 5 , Kasmuri N 6 Show all authors , Rezania S 7 , Gholami A 8 , Vakili M 9 , Kazeroon RA 10

Affiliations 

  • 1 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. Electronic address: amin.mojiri@gmail.com
  • 2 School of Pharmacy, University of 17 August 1945, Jakarta, 14350, Indonesia
  • 3 School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
  • 4 School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Southern Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia
  • 5 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
  • 6 School of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam, 40450, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 7 Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, Seoul, 05006, South Korea
  • 8 Department of Agriculture, Shahin Shahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahin Shahr, Iran
  • 9 ORLEN UniCRE a.s., Revoluční 1521/84, 400 01, Ústí Nad Labem, Czech Republic
  • 10 School of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, 710055, Shaanxi, China
Mar Environ Res, 2024 Feb;194:106343.
PMID: 38215624 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106343

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of microplastic pollution in aquatic environments has raised concerns about its impact on marine life. Among the different types of microplastics, polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) are one of the most commonly detected in aquatic systems. Chaetoceros neogracile (diatom) is an essential part of the marine food web and plays a critical role in nutrient cycling. This study aimed to monitor the ecotoxicological impact of PSMPs on diatoms and observe enzymatic interactions through molecular docking simulations. Results showed that diatom growth decreased with increasing concentrations and exposure time to PSMPs, and the lowest photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) value was observed after 72 and 96 h of exposure to 200 mg L-1 of PSMPs. High concentrations of PSMPs led to a decrease in chlorophyll a content (up to 64.4%) and protein content (up to 35.5%). Molecular docking simulations revealed potential interactions between PSMPs and the extrinsic protein in photosystem II protein of diatoms, suggesting a strong affinity between the two. These findings indicate a detrimental effect of PSMPs on the growth and photosynthetic efficiency of diatoms and highlight the need for further research on the impact of microplastics on marine microbial processes.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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