We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Growth, viability, and Raman spectroscopy data for Bacillus clausii exposed to weathered and new polyethylene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested how tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from common plastic bags and containers affect a beneficial gut bacteria strain (Bacillus clausii, often used in probiotics). They found that exposure to these microplastics—especially "weathered" ones that have broken down from sun and environmental exposure—slowed bacterial growth and reduced survival, with stronger effects at higher plastic concentrations. This matters because it suggests microplastics we're increasingly exposed to through food and water could potentially harm helpful bacteria living in our gut, which play a role in digestion and overall health.
This dataset contains the experimental data supporting the study “Effects of polyethylene microplastic weathering on Bacillus clausii growth, viability, and polymer–bacteria interactions.” The dataset includes optical density-based growth measurements of B. clausii exposed to new low-density polyethylene (n-LDPE), weathered low-density polyethylene (w-LDPE), and weathered high-density polyethylene (w-HDPE) microplastics at different concentrations and exposure times. It also includes colony-forming unit (CFU) counts used to evaluate bacterial viability after 24 h of exposure, as well as Raman spectroscopy data obtained from PE samples before and after interaction with B. clausii for 72 h. The data are organized according to the corresponding manuscript figures and include replicate values, mean values, and standard deviations where applicable. These data allow verification of the reported concentration-dependent growth inhibition, viability impairment, and PE surface spectral changes associated with polymer–bacteria interaction.
More Papers Like This
Growth, viability, and Raman spectroscopy data for Bacillus clausii exposed to weathered and new polyethylene microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists tested how tiny plastic particles (microplastics) from common plastic bags and containers affect a beneficial gut bacteria strain, finding that higher concentrations of these particles slowed bacterial growth and reduced survival, especially with "weathered" plastic that had broken down from sun and environmental exposure. This matters because we're increasingly exposed to microplastics through food and water, and this research suggests they could disrupt the helpful bacteria living in our gut, which play a role in digestion and overall health. More research is needed to know how this plays out in the human body, but it's an early signal that plastic pollution may have effects
Impact of polyethylene microplastics on human gut microbiota as assessed in an in vitro gut model
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists used a lab-based model that mimics the human gut to test how tiny plastic particles (microplastics) affect our gut bacteria, the microbes that help digest food and support overall health. The study found that exposure to these plastic particles can change the balance of gut bacteria, which matters because an unhealthy gut microbiome has been linked to issues like digestive problems, weakened immunity, and inflammation. Since microplastics are increasingly found in our food and water, this research adds to growing evidence that we should take their potential health effects seriously.
Comparison of gut toxicity and microbiome effects in zebrafish exposed to polypropylene microplastics: Interesting effects of UV-weathering on microbiome
AI summary Read the abstract
Zebrafish exposed to UV-weathered polypropylene microplastics showed different and sometimes more severe gut damage than those exposed to fresh microplastics, including greater accumulation in the digestive tract and more disruption of gut bacteria. Interestingly, the weathered microplastics enriched certain beneficial gut bacteria while the fresh ones did not. This matters because real-world microplastics are weathered by sunlight, meaning lab studies using only pristine plastics may underestimate actual health risks.
Gut Microbiota Mediates Host Responses to Microplastic Exposure in Artemia salina
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that when tiny brine shrimp ate microplastics, it hurt their growth, weakened their immune systems, and threw their gut bacteria out of balance—but one specific gut bacterium helped counteract the damage. While this study was done in shrimp, not humans, it hints that the trillions of bacteria living in our own guts might play a similar protective role when we're exposed to microplastics, which are increasingly found in our food and water.
Microplastic–Bacteria Interactions: Toxicity, Colonisation, Degradation and Prospects
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles (microplastics) that end up in water, soil, and even our gut don't just sit there, they interact with bacteria in ways that can be harmful or surprisingly helpful. This review pulls together existing research showing that microplastics can stress out healthy bacteria and help harmful germs (including drug-resistant ones) cluster and spread on their surfaces, but certain bacteria can also break the plastic down. Understanding this two-sided relationship matters because it could help scientists better predict health risks from microplastic pollution and develop bacteria-based methods to clean it up.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.