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Some Microbiological Characteristics of the Biofilm on the Surface of Pre-Production Pellets of Polypropylene Microplastics after Short Exposure in Soil
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After 30 days of burial in residential soil, polypropylene microplastic pellets developed distinct surface biofilms with microbial communities different from those on quartz sand and from the surrounding soil. The colonization of microplastic surfaces by soil microbes (forming a 'plastisphere') is significant because these biofilms can alter how microplastics move through soil and may carry pathogens or antibiotic resistance genes into the environment.
The aim of this study was to investigate some chemical and microbiological characteristics of the soil and the surface biofilms of both polypropylene microplastics and quartz sand. The exposure of sterile samples lasted for 30 days in the soil of a residential area. Some initial chemical and microbiological characteristics of the soil were studied, as well as microbiological characteristics of the biofilms on the surface of the materials. This expands the understanding of biofilm formation processes on the surface of microplastics in soil and can be used in processes for removing harmful materials from soil.
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