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Biological aging of polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics by Chlorella vulgaris biofilm: enhanced malachite green adsorption on polystyrene
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When tiny algae grow a slimy coating (biofilm) on microplastic particles in water, it changes the plastic's surface and makes it much better at soaking up pollutants—in this study, a toxic dye absorbed nearly 10 times more onto "aged" plastic than fresh plastic. This matters because microplastics floating in rivers, lakes, and oceans aren't just plastic—over time, natural biological processes can turn them into more effective carriers of harmful chemicals, potentially increasing the toxic baggage they bring with them if ingested by wildlife or humans.
Biological growth on MPs in aquatic environments can significantly alter their physicochemical properties and interactions with pollutants. This study investigated how biofilm formation by C. vulgaris modifies the properties of PE and PS MPs and influences their capacity to adsorb MG dye. Initially, the biofilm formation potential of PE and PS MPs in the presence of C. vulgaris was evaluated. PS exhibited more stable and extensive biofilm development, along with higher biomass accumulation and EPS production compared to PE, and was therefore selected for subsequent experiments. The study then focused on the structural and chemical characteristics of C. vulgaris -mediated biofilms on PS. Following biofilm formation, the biofilm layer was removed using 30% hydrogen peroxide, producing bio-aged PS. The physicochemical properties of this bio-aged PS, including photosynthetic pigment content (chlorophyll a/b), EPS, surface charge, particle size, and surface chemistry (carbon content), were systematically quantified. Adsorption experiments were subsequently conducted using the biofilm-removed, bio-aged PS under varying MG concentrations and contact times to evaluate the impact of biofilm-induced modifications on dye adsorption. The results demonstrated that biofilm formation on PS induced pronounced structural and chemical changes. Biofilm-coated PS exhibited elevated chlorophyll and EPS levels, which, after removal, resulted in bio-aged PS particles with reduced size and a more negative surface charge (from − 45.6 mV for virgin PS to − 48.73 mV), along with a decreased carbon content (67.73%). Importantly, this biological aging significantly enhanced MG adsorption capacity, increasing from 4.1% for virgin PS to 38.3% for bio-aged PS within 90 min at 10 mg/L. These findings demonstrate that biofilm-mediated aging substantially enhances the adsorption capacity of MPs, emphasizing the critical role of microbial interactions in determining their environmental behavior and interactions with pollutants in aquatic systems.
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Researchers found that microalgal biofouling caused more significant aging and surface degradation of microplastics compared to river microbial biofouling over a 30-day period. The study suggests that algae-induced aging substantially enhances the ability of polyethylene and PVC microplastics to adsorb organic pollutants like bisphenol analogues, increasing their potential to transport contaminants in the environment.
Physicochemical behavior and ecological risk of biofilm-mediated microplastics in aquatic environments
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This review explores how biofilm formation on microplastics in water environments changes their physical and chemical behavior, potentially increasing their ecological risks. Researchers found that biofilm-coated microplastics more readily absorb pollutants and antibiotic resistance genes, and may disrupt gut microbiota in organisms that ingest them. The findings suggest that the biological aging of microplastics in nature makes them more dangerous than freshly produced particles.
The Sorption of a Polar Pollutant onto Micron-Sized Solids of Different Origins Under Environmentally Relevant Conditions and Assessment of Associated Toxicity Risks
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Tiny plastic particles (microplastics) can act like sponges, soaking up harmful chemicals from their environment—and this study found that plastics with more surface aging and structural changes absorb even more of these pollutants. When researchers exposed human cells to plastic particles carrying an absorbed toxic dye, cell survival dropped sharply, while the plain plastic particles alone caused no harm—suggesting it's not the microplastics themselves but the pollutants they carry that may pose the bigger health risk.
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Tiny plastic particles floating in water don't stay "clean" for long — they quickly get coated with a slimy layer of bacteria and algae called biofilm. This study found that biofilm-covered microplastics soak up nearly twice as much toxic heavy metal (like cadmium) compared to bare plastic, and when zebrafish were exposed to these coated particles, the metal buildup in their guts nearly doubled. This matters because it suggests real-world microplastics — which are almost always covered in biofilm — could be carrying more harmful metals into our food chain and bodies than lab tests on "clean" plastic have sh
Enhanced copper adsorption by polyamide and polylactic acid microplastics: The role of biofilm development and chemical aging
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Researchers studied how chemical aging and biofilm growth on polyamide and polylactic acid microplastics changed their ability to absorb copper from water. Both processes significantly increased the surface area and chemical reactivity of the plastics, making them absorb substantially more copper than fresh microplastics. The study suggests that as microplastics age and develop biofilms in natural waterways, they become increasingly effective at concentrating heavy metals, potentially altering how these contaminants move through aquatic environments.
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