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Microbial ecology of mask-derived plastisphere in sediments
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A 14 week lab experiment placed mask-derived microplastics in sediment to study the microbes that grow on them. These microbial communities differed from surrounding sediment, showed higher diversity, and were enriched in functions linked to disease causing potential, organic matter breakdown, and nutrient cycling, suggesting microplastics create a distinct habitat affecting sediment processes.
There is very little research on the ecological impact of mask-derived microplastics in sediments. We conducted an incubation experiment for 14 weeks. The experiment aimed to study mask-derived plastisphere microbial communities. The results show that plastisphere has higher diversity and unique community composition compared to surrounding sediments. Functional prediction shows that plastisphere microbial communities are enriched in functions. These functions are related to pathogenicity, organic matter degradation, and elemental cycling. Community assembly analysis reveals two situations. The plastisphere communities are mainly dominated by stochastic processes. Sediment communities are mainly dominated by deterministic processes. These findings suggest that mask-derived microplastics create a new microbial habitat in sediments. This new habitat may influence sediment biogeochemical processes and ecological health.
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[Microbial Ecology in the Mask-derived Plastisphere in a Water Environment].
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Researchers studied the microbial ecology of plastisphere communities forming on different layers of discarded face masks in aquatic environments over time. Each mask layer harbored a unique microbial community with increasing richness over time; functional analysis revealed pathogenic, phototrophic, and compound-degrading capabilities, as well as roles in carbon and nitrogen cycling, indicating ecological significance of mask-derived plastisphere.
The ecology of the plastisphere: Microbial composition, function, assembly, and network in the freshwater and seawater ecosystems
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Researchers studied the communities of bacteria and fungi that colonize microplastic surfaces in freshwater and seawater, forming what scientists call the plastisphere. These microplastic-associated communities were distinctly different from those in surrounding water, and included a higher proportion of disease-causing organisms and species involved in pollutant degradation. The findings suggest that microplastics create new habitats that can harbor pathogens and alter natural microbial ecosystems in ways that may affect water quality and human health.
Dynamics and functions of microbial communities in the plastisphere in temperate coastal environments
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Researchers explored microbial communities colonizing microplastics in coastal environments of Japan, comparing bacterial and fungal communities across different plastic types, water, sediment, and sand. The study found that while microbial communities varied by sample type and location rather than plastic shape, microplastics harbored hydrocarbon-degrading organisms as well as potential pathogens, highlighting the ecological significance of plastic-associated biofilms.
Microbial community and dynamic changes of extracellular polymeric substances in relation to plastisphere of disposable surgical masks in natural aquatic environment
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Researchers found that disposable surgical masks discarded into freshwater environments rapidly develop biofilms with distinct microbial communities in each layer, with potential pathogens enriched specifically in the middle layer, suggesting that pandemic-related mask waste poses underappreciated ecological and public health risks in aquatic systems.
The plastisphere ecology: Assessing the impact of different pollution sources on microbial community composition, function and assembly in aquatic ecosystems
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Researchers studied the microbial communities living on microplastic surfaces (called the plastisphere) across four different aquatic sites and found that plastics host a distinctly different mix of microbes than the surrounding water, shaped by local pollution sources. These plastic-surface microbes also carry more antibiotic resistance genes and show greater potential for breaking down plastics, making the plastisphere both a health concern and a potential bioremediation resource.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.