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Biofilm-Mediated Bacterial Sorption onto Microplastics in Water: Mechanistic Pathways, Plastisphere Formation, and Implications for Disinfection Performance
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Researchers studied microplastics collected from raw surface water and found bacteria formed biofilm layers on their surfaces, creating distinct microbial communities. Bacteria could attach to and detach from the microplastics, and chlorine disinfection was less effective at killing bacteria when microplastics were present.
Microplastic-associated biofilms represent emerging interfaces for microbial attachment, persistence, and transport in aquatic environments, yet the mechanisms governing bacterial sorption onto microplastics and their implications for water treatment remain insufficiently resolved. This study investigated bacterial colonization, sorption behavior, plastisphere assembly, and disinfection interference associated with microplastics in water using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface analysis, confocal laser scanning microscopy, flow cytometry, and chlorine disinfection assays. Microplastics recovered from raw surface water showed pronounced surface modification and altered functional groups. Biofilm formation and extracellular polymeric substances were clearly observed on microplastic surfaces after exposure to water. The maximum thickness of the bottom biofilm layer in contact with the microplastics reached 43.4 μm, whereas the upper biofilm layer reached 19.53 μm. Sequencing analysis indicated that microplastics altered bacterial community structure and supported distinct plastisphere assemblages compared with the surrounding water phase. Adsorption and desorption assays demonstrated that bacteria could attach and detach from microplastics. The maximum numbers of Escherichia-Shigella attached to and detached from microplastics were approximately 4 × 105 CFU/mL and 2 × 10⁶ CFU/mL, respectively. Notably, the presence of microplastics reduced the effectiveness of chlorine disinfection against Escherichia-Shigella, suggesting that microplastic-associated bacteria may be partially protected from oxidative inactivation. These findings demonstrate that microplastics are not merely passive particles in water but dynamic microbial carriers that can influence bacterial persistence, community assembly, and treatment efficiency. The results highlight the need to incorporate microplastic-biofilm interactions into water-quality assessment and disinfection-risk frameworks.
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Researchers tested how well chlorine disinfection works against biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces in water. They found that while chlorination effectively killed bacteria on the microplastics, some resistant species survived and the process altered the microbial community structure. The findings suggest that microplastics in water systems may harbor bacteria that are harder to eliminate through standard disinfection methods.
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This review examines how bacteria colonize microplastic surfaces in water, forming biofilms that change how the plastics behave in the environment. These biofilms alter the surface properties of microplastics and affect how they absorb and transport heavy metals and other pollutants. Understanding biofilm formation on microplastics is important because it can make the particles more dangerous by concentrating toxic substances that could eventually enter the food chain.
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Researchers compared the biofilm communities that form on microplastics of different types and sizes in both freshwater and wastewater, finding that biofilm composition was influenced by particle type, size, and water source. These findings advance understanding of the plastisphere — the microbial community unique to plastic surfaces — and its potential role in spreading microorganism-associated risks.
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