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Microplastics as emerging threats: advancement in biofilm interactions and remediation technologies
Summary
This review examines how biofilms on microplastic surfaces serve as hotspots for virulent pathogens, evaluates microbial degradation pathways using bacteria, fungi, algae, and engineered enzymes, and surveys nanotechnology-based remediation approaches including TiO2 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Understanding how biofilm communities colonize and spread on microplastics is critical, as these plastisphere communities can harbor and transport antibiotic-resistant pathogens through aquatic ecosystems.
Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a significant global pollutant due to their massive toxicity, posing increasing environmental concerns for both aquatic and human health. However, studies on the threats posed by MPs to aquatic and terrestrial environments, and their interactions with other environmental components show considerable variability. Therefore, this scientific review aims to describe diverse microorganisms, biofilm, nanotechnology and microbial electro-system (MES) for emerging MPs degradation. Initially, the review discussed the distribution and influence of MPs on different biomes including environment, food web and human health. Further, the study on mechanism of biofilm formation and hotspot for virulent pathogen on MPs were emphasized. Moreover, the various microorganisms including bacteria and its consortium, fungi, algae and their enzymes were discussed, and focused on specific enzymatic mechanism and genetically engineered bacteria, and enzymes that proven a potent candidate with limitation as well for remediation of MPs from aquatic ecosystem. The advance, cost effective, less energy and promising technology for complete MPs mitigation were explored. Nanotechnology using various nanoparticles (NPs) including TiO2, Fe3O4, and ZnO in amalgamation with nano-enzyme technology based on the previous review literature has been discussed. Owing to NPs specific characteristics, enable it to be a better technology based on the concentration of NPs input. The factor affecting and challenges impeding the mitigation of MPs pollution and future perspectives were thoroughly discussed.