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Adsorption of Cobalt onto Microplastics in Riverine Mesocosms: Influence of Biofilm Development
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Scientists found that microplastics floating in rivers develop a slimy coating of bacteria and algae (called a "biofilm") that acts like a sponge, soaking up cobalt, a metal that can be toxic in high amounts. Without this biofilm, the plastic barely absorbed any cobalt at all, meaning the microbes living on plastic waste may make it much better at collecting and potentially spreading toxic metals through waterways. This matters because it suggests microplastics aren't just passive pollution, they could become metal-carrying vehicles as they travel through rivers, streams, and eventually into the food we eat.
The plastisphere critically modulates interactions among microplastics (MPs), biofilms, and trace metals under environmentally realistic conditions, governing the interfacial reactivity of plastisphere-coated microplastics. Here, we investigated cobalt (Co) adsorption onto large polypropylene (PP) primary microplastics (~4 mm) exposed for 28 days in a flow-through riverine mesocosm across a gradient of Co concentrations (0–60 µg·L−1). A multi-technique analytical approach was employed, combining inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cobalt accumulation increased linearly with time, consistent with apparent first-order dependence on aqueous Co concentration under constant exposure, reaching 38 ± 3 mg·kg−1 after 28 days at 60 µg·L−1, with no saturation observed. The concentration-dependent Co accumulation was well described by an empirical power-law model (Q = KC0n), with the empirical coefficient K increasing linearly over time, reflecting the progressive increase in Co accumulation at a given aqueous concentration. Microbial colonization developed rapidly on MPs, with 16S and 18S rRNA gene copy numbers stabilizing after 14 days, while surface-normalized Co signals increased sharply after day 21, indicating a time-dependent modification of biofilm properties influencing Co retention. SEM confirmed complex microbial structures, including diatom-like cells. No cobalt adsorption was observed under sterile conditions, confirming the key role of biofilm presence. These findings highlight the dynamic role of the plastisphere as a chemically and biologically active interface under environmentally realistic riverine conditions, with implications for contaminant fate, bioavailability, and risk assessment in freshwater systems affected by plastic pollution.
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