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The effects of metals and polymer types on the development of biofilm on microplastic surface

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 2024
Mark Starin, Mark Starin, Janja Novak, Ula Rozman, Pořízka, Pavel, Jozef Kaiser, Jozef Kaiser, Tomáš Zikmund, Pavlína Modlitbová, Aida Fazlić, Brunnbauer, Lukas, Andreas Limbeck, Ondřej Adamovský, Gabriela Kalčíková, Gabriela Kalčíková

Summary

Researchers investigated biofilm formation on three types of microplastics — PVC, polystyrene, and polyethylene — in the presence of three metals (lead, chromium, cadmium) in freshwater over six weeks, measuring biofilm mass, extracellular polymeric substances, and chlorophyll-a content at weeks one and six. They found that polymer type was the dominant factor influencing biofilm development, with nearly 50% of variation in biofilm characteristics attributable to the specific plastic substrate rather than the metal contaminants present.

Polymers
PE PS PVC
Study Type Environmental

Once released into the environment, microplastics (MP) are quickly colonized by various microorganisms. Over time, they can form a stable biofilm on their surface, which can alter the properties of MPs and also influence the interactions of MPs with the surrounding environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the formation of a biofilm on three types of MPs (PVC 485 ± 338 µm, PS 127 ± 30 µm, PE 192 ± 129 µm) in the presence of three different metals (Pb, Cr, Cd). Each MP type (5 g/L) was aged separately with each metal type (5 µg/L) in a freshwater from a natural stream for six weeks. After the first and sixth weeks, the biofilm was evaluated by determining the mass of the biofilm, the amount of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the concentration of chlorophyll a. The polymer type of the MP had a major influence on the presence of biofilm; almost 50 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559434/document

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