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Plastisphere colonization in Antarctica: a microcosmos approach
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Researchers investigated the Antarctic plastisphere by incubating polypropylene, polyester, polystyrene, and quartz fragments in seawater microcosms for 33 days, using SEM, flow cytometry, qPCR, and metagenomics to track microbial colonization dynamics. They found that biofilm formation occurred rapidly but at slower growth rates than other oceanic regions, with time rather than polymer type driving community succession, and identified Oleispira as a genus of interest for potential hydrocarbon degradation.
Microplastics are ubiquitous, found even in the most remote regions like the Southern Ocean. Once in the water, they are rapidly colonized by marine bacteria, forming what is known as the plastisphere. To address significant knowledge gaps, especially in Antarctic waters, we conducted a microcosm experiment. We incubated microplastic pellets made of polypropylene (PP), polyester (PE), polystyrene (PS), and quartz fragments in separate aquarium compartments, triplicated, for 33 days. We sampled the incubated items at days 0, 2, 5, 12, 19, 26, and 33. Our aim was to understand the colonization and microbial community dynamics of the Antarctic plastisphere by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), flow cytometry, cultures, qPCR, and metagenomic analysis. Our results indicate that while colonization occurs rapidly and consistently, growth rates are slightly slower compared to other oceanic regions, suggesting unique environmental constraints. Furthermore, we observed a transition in microbial communities from early to late biofilm stages between days 12 and 19, with time being the main driver of the biofilm community. The different plastic polymers did not play a significant role in defining the bacterial assemblage community. Here, we describe, for the first time, the Antarctic bacterial plastisphere during biofilm colonization, noting certain bacteria of particular interest, such as the genus Oleispira, which may be involved in hydrocarbon degradation. We advocate for more extensive research reporting absolute bacterial densities during colonization to allow comparisons and a better understanding of this process. We further recommend conducting more analysis to accurately quantify and follow up the plastisphere colonization. We hope our results will have implications for environmental monitoring, risk assessment, and the formulation of strategies to mitigate the escalating issue of plastic pollution in the Southern Ocean. Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/552759/document
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Plastisphere colonization in Antarctica: a microcosmos approach
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Researchers conducted a 33-day microcosm experiment incubating polypropylene, polyester, polystyrene, and quartz fragments in Antarctic seawater and used SEM, flow cytometry, qPCR, and metagenomics to characterize bacterial plastisphere colonization, finding that microbial community composition was driven primarily by incubation time rather than polymer type, with Oleispira potentially involved in hydrocarbon degradation.
Plastisphere in an Antarctic environment: A microcosm approach
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Researchers conducted a microcosm experiment in Antarctic waters to study how microorganisms colonize different types of microplastic surfaces over 33 days. They found that colonization was rapid and consistent across polymer types, though slightly slower than in other oceans, with microbial communities transitioning between early and late biofilm stages around days 12 to 19. The study provides new insight into plastisphere dynamics in polar environments, including the presence of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria on microplastic surfaces.
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