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Unraveling Microplastic-Biofilm Nexus in Aquaculture: Diversity and Functionality of Microbial Communities and Their Effect on Plastic Traits
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Researchers incubated five common types of microplastics in an aquaculture pond for 128 days and found that biofilm formation varied significantly depending on the plastic type, with polypropylene and polyethylene supporting the richest microbial communities. PET microplastics attracted more plastic-degrading bacteria like Pseudomonas, while all plastic types enriched potentially pathogenic microorganisms. The findings highlight how different microplastics selectively shape microbial colonization in aquaculture environments, with implications for both environmental health and food safety.
Microplastics (MPs) serve as unconventional platforms for microorganisms and vectors for pollutants and pathogens in aquatic ecosystems. This study explored the dynamics of microbial colonization and biofilm formation on MPs, a key factor in their ecological impact, using five common MP types─poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polylactic acid (PLA), and polypropylene (PP)─incubated in an aquaculture pond for 128 days. The biofilm biomass increased by 173–617% compared with original samples, especially PP- and PE-MPs (OD 595 nm = 0.30 and 0.28, respectively). Driven by the inherent properties of MPs, biofilm biomass and microbial community structure differed significantly across the MP types, leading to varied changes in hydrophobicity and surface morphology. Differences in physicochemical properties cause each MP type to selectively enrich specific microbes, profoundly influencing biofilm formation and MP degradation potential. Notably, PP- and PE-MPs supported rich, mature biofilms conducive to carbon cycling and biofilm development, while PET-MPs attracted more abundant plastic degraders, like Pseudomonas. The study also highlighted the enrichment of pathogens on MPs, indicating potential environmental and human health risk. These findings illuminate the complex interactions between MP characteristics and biofilm dynamics, enhancing understanding of MPs’ environmental behaviors and fates in aquatic settings.
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The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture
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This review examines how microplastics in aquaculture environments serve as habitats and transport vehicles for pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria, with more than 30 taxa of pathogens detected on plastic-associated biofilms. The study suggests that the combination of plastic persistence, closed aquaculture conditions, and pathogen affinity for plastic surfaces creates a significant threat to aquaculture production and food safety.
How Microplastics Influence the Microbial Communities of Periphytic Biofilm Between the Paddy Soil and Water Interface: A Microcosm Study
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Researchers exposed paddy field periphytic biofilms to polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and found that all three polymer types increased microbial biomass without altering biodiversity, while shifting microbial community composition and predicted functional traits like nitrogen cycling and plastic degradation in polymer-specific ways.
The composition of bacterial communities associated with plastic biofilms differs between different polymers and stages of biofilm succession
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Researchers tracked bacterial community development on five different plastic types submerged in coastal waters over two months. They found that bacterial community composition varied by both plastic type and stage of colonization, with distinct early and late succession patterns. The study provides evidence that different plastics may host different microbial communities, which has implications for understanding how plastic pollution influences marine microbial ecology.
Assessing the Risks of Potential Bacterial Pathogens Attaching to Different Microplastics during the Summer–Autumn Period in a Mariculture Cage
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Researchers conducted an in situ incubation experiment in a mariculture cage and found that polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics accumulated distinct bacterial pathogen communities during summer and autumn. The findings indicate that microplastics in aquaculture environments can act as reservoirs for potential pathogens, raising concerns for seafood safety.
Structural and Functional Characteristics of Microplastic Associated Biofilms in Response to Temporal Dynamics and Polymer Types
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Researchers found that biofilm structural and functional characteristics on microplastics differ significantly depending on polymer type (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) and change over time, with implications for understanding microbial colonization and the plastisphere.
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