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New insights into the concentration-dependent regulation of membrane biofouling formation via continuous nanoplastics stimulation
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Researchers investigated how different concentrations of nanoplastics affect membrane biofouling by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water filtration systems. They found that low nanoplastic concentrations actually promoted biofilm formation by enhancing bacterial communication and energy metabolism, while high concentrations inhibited it through oxidative stress. The study reveals that nanoplastic pollution can influence water treatment membrane performance in concentration-dependent ways.
The release of nanoplastics (NPs) into the environment is growing due to the extensive use of plastic products. Numerous studies have confirmed the negative effects of NPs on microorganisms, which poses uncertainties concerning their impact on nanofiltration (NF) membrane biofouling. This study investigated the initial cell adhesion process, NF membrane biofouling kinetic processes and bacterial responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) exposed to varied NPs concentrations (0-50 mg·L). Transcriptome analysis demonstrated that low concentration of NPs (0.1 mg·L) promoted bacterial quorum sensing, energy metabolism, exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and bacterial secretion systems. Correspondingly, the polysaccharide content increased remarkably to 2.77 times the unexposed control, which served as a protective barrier for bacteria to avoid the impact of NPs-induced stress. Suppressed homologous recombination, microbial metabolic potentials and flagellar assembly were detected in bacteria exposed to a high concentration (50 mg·L) of NPs, mainly due to the triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, genomic DNA damage, and decreased energy production. Overall, enhanced formation of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and aggravated membrane flux decline were observed when NPs interacted with the membrane surface by cell secretions (low NPs levels) or cell lysis (high NPs levels). These findings shed light on understanding the microbial metabolism mechanism and membrane biofouling propensity with NPs stress at both the molecular and gene levels.
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Recent advances on micro/nanoplastic pollution and membrane fouling during water treatment: A review
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Researchers reviewed recent advances in understanding how micro- and nanoplastics contribute to membrane fouling during water treatment processes. The study found that while membrane separation effectively removes microplastics from wastewater effluent, fouling caused by plastic particles along with dissolved organics and extracellular polymers remains a key obstacle, and understanding the fouling mechanisms is critical for improving treatment efficiency.
Enhanced membrane fouling by microplastics during nanofiltration of secondary effluent considering secretion, interaction and deposition of extracellular polymeric substances
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Researchers found that microplastics significantly worsen membrane fouling during nanofiltration of treated wastewater, increasing both short-term and long-term fouling resistance by up to 46% and 27% respectively. The study reveals that microplastics influence fouling through their effects on bacterial extracellular polymeric substance secretion, interaction with coexisting pollutants, and deposition on membrane surfaces.
Nanoplastics induce prophage activation and quorum sensing to enhance biofilm mechanical and chemical resilience
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Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations promote the formation of more resilient bacterial biofilms by triggering viral activation and cell-to-cell communication within microbial communities. The nanoplastics caused oxidative stress that activated dormant viruses within bacteria, which in turn stimulated protective biofilm production with enhanced resistance to chlorine disinfection. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution could make harmful bacterial communities in water systems harder to eliminate through standard treatment methods.
Bacteria-nanoparticle interactions in the context of nanofouling
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Researchers reviewed current knowledge on interactions between engineered nanoparticles and bacterial biofilms, finding that most research focuses on nanoparticle effects on pre-existing biofilms in water treatment contexts while neglecting nanofouling — the accumulation of nanoparticles within biofilms — and calling for new research on how nanoplastics and engineered nanoparticles integrate into biofilm communities across diverse environmental settings.
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