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Microbial colonization patterns and biodegradation of petrochemical and biodegradable plastics in lake waters: insights from a field experiment
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This field experiment studied microbial colonization of petrochemical (LDPE, PET) and biodegradable (PLA, Mb) plastics in lake water, finding that plastic materials served as adhesion surfaces rather than carbon sources for opportunistic aquatic bacteria. Only biodegradable Mb-associated communities harbored likely starch-degrading bacteria, while all polymer types sorbed PAHs from sediment, though ingested plastics are unlikely to significantly increase PAH burden in deposit-feeders.
The phylogenetic composition of plastisphere and planktonic communities was notably different. Pioneering microbial colonisers, likely selected from lake waters, were found associated with all plastic materials, along with a core of more than 30 abundant bacterial families associated with all polymers. The different plastic materials, either derived from petrochemical hydrocarbons (i.e., LDPE and PET) or biodegradable (PLA and Mb), were used by opportunistic aquatic microorganisms as adhesion surfaces rather than carbon sources. The Mb-associated microorganisms (i.e. mostly members of the family Burkholderiaceae) were likely able to degrade the starch residues on the polymer surfaces, although the Mb matrix maintained its original chemical structure and morphology. Overall, our findings provide insights into the complex interactions between aquatic microorganisms and plastic materials found in lake waters, highlighting the importance of understanding the plastisphere dynamics to better manage the fate of plastic debris in the environment.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.