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Distinct riverine plastispheres and microplastic-specific community complexity in the near-bottom benthic habitat under natural hydrological conditions
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Scientists found that different types of plastic litter sitting at the bottom of rivers each grow their own unique community of microbes, sort of like tiny biofilm "neighborhoods" that vary by plastic type. Interestingly, so-called "biodegradable" plastics (PLA and PHA) hosted different microbes than regular plastics like PET and PVC, including some that support nitrogen cycling in the environment — but this doesn't necessarily mean they break down faster or safer. This matters because these microbial communities can affect how quickly plastics degrade, potentially into smaller microplastic particles that end up in water we drink and
Aquatic near-bottom benthic habitats are important retention zones for waterborne microplastics (MPs), yet the assembly and ecological traits of the benthic plastisphere remain understudied, particularly how prevalent polymers regulate succession and micro-ecological processes. Here, five representative MPs, including polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), were incubated for 100 days in an urban river's near-bottom benthic habitat. Bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic communities were characterized using DNA- and RNA-based amplicon sequencing, together with community assembly, co-occurrence network, functional prediction, and surface-aging analyses. Mature plastispheres formed distinct niches relative to ambient water and sediment communities. Although stochastic processes generally dominated community assembly, rainfall-associated hydrological disturbance increased deterministic contributions without eliminating polymer-specific signatures. MP-specific community complexity was reflected in substrate-dependent assemblages, network topology, RNA-resolved active keystone taxa, and predicted functional potential. Biodegradable PLA and PHA supported communities distinct from traditional non-biodegradable MPs and enriched nitrogen-cycling traits. PET represented an exceptional non-biodegradable polymer, showing a unique successional trajectory, pronounced surface-aging signals, and highly connected networks, suggesting broader microbial interactions at the polymer-biofilm interface. RNA-based sequencing uncovered a prominent role of active eukaryotes in network interactions, a pattern undetected by DNA-based profiling. Comamonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Saprospiraceae, and Bacillariophyceae were identified as candidate taxa potentially associated with polymer surface aging and degradation-related processes based on co-occurrence network and enrichment analyses. This study provides field-based micro-ecological insights into plastisphere assembly in freshwater near-bottom benthic habitats under natural hydrological conditions and identifies key microbial taxa and functions linked to MP fate.
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Plastisphere as a unique metabolic hotspot in river water: Impact of plastic substrate biodegradability
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A study of river water found that microplastic surfaces — even from tiny 100-micrometer particles — host distinct microbial communities called plastispheres that function as metabolic hotspots, with richer carbon and nitrogen cycling activity than the surrounding water. The biodegradability of the plastic substrate influenced which microbes colonized it and how they interacted, with biodegradable plastics supporting different communities than conventional plastics. This matters because plastisphere microbes can include potential pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and they alter the ecological function of freshwater environments.
Biodegradability of microplastics reshapes surface biofilm microbial community structure and nitrogen cycling functions in aquatic environments
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Researchers compared how biodegradable (PLA) and non-biodegradable (polyethylene and PVC) microplastics affect the microbial communities that form on their surfaces in aquatic environments, finding substantial differences in which bacteria colonized each plastic type and how they processed nitrogen. PLA supported communities rich in nitrogen-cycling bacteria, while PVC and polyethylene enriched different microbial groups associated with pollutant degradation. The study suggests that the push toward biodegradable plastics will change — not just reduce — the ecological effects of microplastics in rivers and lakes.
Distinctive patterns of bacterial community succession in the riverine micro-plastisphere in view of biofilm development and ecological niches
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Scientists studied how bacterial communities develop on microplastics versus natural materials in river water and found that plastics support a distinct pattern of microbial colonization. The research identified specific bacteria capable of degrading microplastics and revealed that competition among microbes on plastic surfaces follows unexpected patterns compared to natural substrates.
Ecological Roles and Shared Microbes Differentiate the Plastisphere from Natural Particle-Associated Microbiomes in Urban Rivers
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Researchers compared the microbial communities living on microplastics versus natural particles in ten urban river systems. While the two communities shared many similarities, the microplastic-associated community, known as the plastisphere, harbored distinct bacteria with specialized abilities to break down complex carbon compounds. The study suggests that microplastics in rivers create unique microbial habitats that may influence nutrient cycling and pollutant degradation differently than natural particles.
Biofilms on plastic litter in an urban river: Community composition and activity vary by substrate type
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Researchers examined biofilms colonizing plastic litter versus natural surfaces in an urban river, finding that community composition and metabolic activity vary by substrate type, with plastic surfaces hosting distinct microbial communities that may influence plastic degradation rates.
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