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Microplastic Microbiome Interactions: Emerging Threats and Bioremediation Potentials
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This review examines the plastisphere — microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces — covering how these biofilms influence the fate and toxicity of microplastics while acting as vectors for pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes, and discussing their potential for bioremediation.
Abstract: Microplastics plastic particles smaller than 5 mm have become ubiquitous pollutants in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. Their durability, persistence, and ability to adsorb hazardous chemicals make them a growing ecological and health concern. A new dimension of this issue has emerged with the discovery of the plastisphere, a term used to describe microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces. These communities influence the fate, degradation, and toxicity of microplastics while also acting as vectors for pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes. This chapter explores the interdisciplinary field of microplastic microbiome interactions, detailing their ecological implications and biotechnological potential for bioremediation. It further discusses microbial succession on plastics, enzymatic degradation mechanisms, and the possibility of harnessing microbial consortia for sustainable management of microplastic pollution. Case insights from Indian freshwater systems, particularly the Godavari Basin, are presented to contextualize this emerging field within the framework of environmental sustainability.
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Microplastic Microbiome Interactions: Emerging Threats and Bioremediation Potentials
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines the plastisphere — microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces — covering how these biofilms influence the fate and toxicity of microplastics while acting as vectors for pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes, and discussing their potential for bioremediation.
The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics
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This review examines how biofilms — communities of microorganisms that form on microplastic surfaces — affect the fate and ecological effects of plastic pollution. Biofilm formation alters how microplastics are transported, ingested, and degraded in the environment, and the plastisphere can harbor pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may pose risks to human health.
Beyond the Surface: Biofilms and Microplastics in Aquatic Systems
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This review examines how microbial biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces (the 'plastisphere') influence particle transport, degradation rates, and potential toxicity in aquatic environments, including the role of biofilms in carrying pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes.
Environmental impacts of microplastic and role of plastisphere microbes in the biodegradation and upcycling of microplastic
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This review covers how microplastics in the environment interact with other pollutants and the microbes that colonize plastic surfaces, known as the "plastisphere." While some of these microbes can break down plastics, the biofilms also harbor harmful bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes that can spread to the surrounding environment. This means microplastics serve as floating platforms for dangerous germs, creating additional health risks beyond the plastic particles themselves.
Aquatic Biofilms and Plastisphere
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This review examined aquatic biofilms and plastisphere communities that colonize microplastic surfaces, discussing how plastic substrates select for distinct microbial assemblages and may harbor pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.